Harris and Me

This book is absolutely fantastic. It was my favorite as a young child and was the springboard launching me, a reluctant reader, into a love for books. I just purchased this to gift to my nephew but I stole a trip thru the pages another time and remembered why I loved this book so much. If you’ve never read this book give it a try!

I bought this on an online recommendation of books boys should read. IT IS RUDE AND CRUDE AND PORNOGRAPHIC AND IMMORAL.
Do not be fooled by the cover. It is TRASH! And that is where this copy is going.

Reviewed by Nicole G.

Harris and Me is a wonderful fun-loving book that any child will adore. In the book, due to his parents' drinking problems, an 11 year-old boy is sent to live with many relatives, including the Larson family. We never learn the name of the narrator as he is just referred to as "me" and "I" throughout the book. The characters include the Larson's 9 year-old son named Harris, Glennis the daughter, Knute/Mr. Larson, Clair/Mrs. Larson and Louie a farm helper. The narrator spends his whole summer on the farm with the Larson family and is exposed to hard farm labors. Throughout the book we learn of Harris's crazy schemes, including trying to wrestle "commie japs" which are the pigs, jumping off a barn onto a horse and attaching a washing machine motor to a bicycle. The book is hilarious but there are crude elements in the book including swear words such as d*mn and h*ll, which are continuously repeated throughout the book. Unfortunately there is also some immoral content. I love the funny parts of the book and would feel more comfortable recommending it if it weren't for some of the inappropriate content.

Harris and Me

By: Gary Paulsen

Harris and Me is a great story it is about this boy they don't really say his name cause he is telling the so they just call him me. Me lives with is parents in the city but one day his parents got drunk and so me had to move in with one of his relative, which live it the country, so through the whole story Harris is teaching me about the country. They have a lot of adventures in the story like one time his Harris stuck a straw up a frog butt and blew into the straw and the frog got really big and then al of a sudden the frog popped and Harris got frog guts all over him, but that is not the funniest cause on there farm they have a roster that is really mean and they go on an adventure to try to catch the roster and the roster jumps on me tears him all up and then Harris jumps on the jumps on the roster which name is Ernie and Harris and Ernie fight until Ernie craws into a whole and Harris gets mad. One time Harris and me are walking through the woods and Harris has to go pee so he stops by a tree and starts to pee on a fence and the fence is electric and he gets shocked. I think that if you like action and adventures then you will love this book . (age 10-16)

A young boy is taken from his drunken parents and sent to live with family. He ends up on a farm with family he's never met. His cousin Harris takes it on himself to teach the new kid about his special brand of country life. Harris is a kid full of energy, humor, and cuss words. Being smacked several times a day by his sister doesn't seem to help the latter. The two boys wrestle pigs and attempt to jump onto a horse from a barn loft like Roy Rogers did in the movies. Somehow, even after getting his business kicked by a cow, the boy and Harris bond over the summer.

The story moves at a fairly quick pace, taking the reader from barn loft to horse back to a field with a lynx for a mouse-hunting partner. The reader's interest is kept just wondering what Harris will get them into next and a smattering of kindness and true family heart will help him remember Harris and Me.

Be warned that there are several "hells" and "damns" in the book, and talk of some dirty pictures, though nothing graphic. Fast-paced and laugh-out-loud funny, this is one that the middle-schooler is sure to enjoy.

Armchair Interviews says: Sounds like a fun read.

Due to his parents' alcoholic tendencies and their inability to care properly for him, the unnamed narrator of this coming-of-age tale is forced to move from place to place throughout most of his childhood. We are told of one summer in early 1950s, which lands our eleven-year-old narrator with Harris and his family, the Larsens, who are "shirttail relatives" and have willingly taken him under their wing to live on their remote farm. The family consists of an "Aunt" Clair, "Uncle" Knute, fifteen-year-old Glennis, a sort of cousin, and her nine-year-old brother, Harris.

Although younger and smaller than the narrator, nine-year-old Harris is a wild, rambunctious, hilarious scoundrel, and he quickly initiates the narrator in the ways of rural life, whether the initiation is welcome or not. Each chapter in this book details a harebrained, yet inspired scheme that Harris concocts in order to make the farm a more interesting place to live. Each page is filled with colorful language, vividly drawn characters, and laugh-out-loud moments.

Perhaps in spite of the constant hilarity of each adventure the book resonates on a much deeper level as well, for the narrator, who has for his whole life been a rootless, wandering soul, with no one to care for him, finally finds a home in the most unlikely of places. The humor and heart-string-tugging emotion of this book will resonate long after the last page has been turned.

Highly recommended for readers nine and up!

FYI: Although the narrator remains unnamed in the book, this "novel" is rumored to be much more biographical than Gary Paulsen perhaps at time of publication wanted to be revealed. Therefore, as I teach this book to a class of 7th graders, I remind them that we can simply refer to "The Narrator" as "Gary."

I grew up in a suburban area, but remember countless hours spent outside, laughing and breathless, playing with friends. "Harris and Me" recalls some of the energy and hijinks of childhood, arousing quite a few laughs and some nostalgia.
The story is set on a farm during the 1950s. The unnamed narrator, possibly Paulsen himself, spends a glorious summer with relatives -- his uncle Knute, Aunt Clair, and cousins Glennis and Harris. Harris becomes the narrator's constant companion and partner in crime, through hours of intense farm labor, enormous and frequent meals, and non stop high energy play.
Some of the boys' pranks are a bit too slap-stick for my tastes, such as an incident involving urinating on an electric fence. And some characters, such as the dirty, mute farmhand who seems to inhale pancakes, are little more than cartoons.
What I remember most about the book, though, are its many funny moments -- Harris believing that a movie (which he has seen several times, no less) is really happening...ambushing the pigs...attaching a motor to a bike and zooming down the road. "Harris and Me" captures the long, carefree days of childhood with joy and zest.

HARRIS AND ME, by Gary Paulsen, is a heartwarming hilarious book about a boy who goes to live with his cousins Harris and Glennis, and their parents. The narrator learns to love his life om the farm. Harris is a bad-mouthed boy who swears but can never get away with it while Glennis is around.The two boys go on imaginative and funny journeys, such as the time when they rode Bob and Bill. Bob and Bill are very large horses that look like oversized buffalo. It's not every day that you get to ride a horse and shoot off your father's gun. This is imaginative because usually you could never play with guns, and this story is almost a little unreal.The reason the boys shot off the guns was because they were trying to immitate the old film they watched in town while drinking pop. As they try many tricks throughout the book they get in trouble along the way too, that almost always end up with a good laugh.Gary Paulsen just keeps you going with the giggles.I would recommend this book if you like funny stories.

This book will transport you back to a simpler time into the life of two boys having a summer of adventures. Funny, from the very start I was laughing out loud at the antics and troubles they ran into.

HARRIS AND ME was a really interesting book. I thought it was funny. The end of the book was excellent. It showed Harris had feelings. Harris usually is the tough guy that you would never think would show emotion. One of the parts that I found pretty interesting and funny was the part where Harris and the narrator were trying to be like Tarzan. They were trying to aim in the barn but they missed and landed in the mud with the pigs. Harris and the narrator had some really fun and good times, but on the other hand there were times when they didn't have fun. Thats the whole meaning of friendship. With friendship, you can have ups and downs, but you will always be friends. The author made me feel like I was there in the book the whole time. I didn't want my teacher to stop reading it. I feel that if your interested in funny and friendship books, then you should read HARRIS AND ME.

Harris and Me is an adventurous book that teaches about life in the farm. The book tells the story of a 12 year old boy that moves from the Philippines to the farm to visit his second cousin, Harris. The boy visits Harris because his mom and dad are alcoholics and sometimes argue with each other. After Harris and the boy finish their chores, they play random games, which lead to Harris getting smacked by his sister, Glennis on the back of his head. He plays any games his creative mind thinks of. One day, when Harris was on his bike with an engine attached to it, he lost control, screamed like a baby, and flew right out of his cloths. After the crash, Harris and the boy laid down relaxing until Glennis called them in. Read how Harris and the boy continue to be friends even after the policeman takes the boy away from Harris. I usually do not like reading, but I was surprised to see that I couldn't take my eyes off this book. Readers who like adventure stories should buy this book.

The book, Harris And Me, is an intresting book full of surprises and laughs. It's about a boy who moves from his home of drunken parents and runs into his cousin Harris. Harris is a kid who loves adventure always gets into trouble. He and Harris do wild things together such as, jump off the loft onto a horse's back, shoot a real shot gun and ride a horse at the same time. Harris even went to the bathroom on an electric fence for "dourty pictures." The funny part is every time Harris and the narrator do something stupid, Harris get a slap in the back of the head. This book is also about the narrator trying to fit in at the farm. Finally, one day he sees carvings of the family and he's a carving too. It made him feel like part of the family. That is all about the book, Harris And Me.

Do you like risky ideas and getting into trouble? If you do, have I got a book for you! Harris and Me is a book written by Gary Paulson, who also wrote... Hatchet, The Voyage of the Frog, Dog Song and others. This is a book about a boy who gets sent away from his home because he doesn't have good parents. He gets sent to a farm out in the middle of nowhere-or so it seems- where his risky cousin Harris lives with his unusual family. The boy and his cousin have to work hard on the farm, but when the work is finished, the "fun" begins. The "fun" goes from riding on the backs of nervous pigs, to taking an engine off the back of a washing machine and putting it on a bike to make it go faster! Will Harris and the boy survive all of these dangerous ideas? You'll have to read it and find out.

HARRIS AND ME is a hilarious comedy by Gary Paulsen. It is a must-read. HARRIS AND ME is a story told in first person about a boy whose parents are alchoholics and therefore has to live with various family members. He meets his spunky, foul-mouthed cousin Harris, and the adventures start from there. Some of these adventures include Harris urinating on an electric fence, Harris shooting his father's shotgun off the back of a moving horse, and swinging on an old rope that is not able to support his weight (you know how thats going to end up). The first person perspective makes the reader feel as if he/she is on the adventures with Harris. HARRIS AND ME is a great book that will keep you laughing, so I gave it four stars.

Harris and Me

Gary Paulsen

Harris and Me is about a boy named Me who goes to his relatives house to stay for a summer. Me goes because his parents are drunks and don't really take care of him. Harris is Me's cousin who lives on a farm and is younger Me. While Me is living at the Larson farm he encounters some crazy animals. He meets Vivian who is a cow that kicks Me in the business, a rooster named Ernie who always attacks Harris, and Buzzer who is a lynx that's got a whole lot of attitude. Harris and Me have a lot of adventure and excitement. I would recommend this book to someone who likes adventure, humor, and hard farm-work then you should Harris and Me.

Harris and Me

By Gary Paulsen

The book Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen is a memoir about Paulsen going to live with his cousin, Harris, the summer he is 12 years old because his parents are alcoholics. The story is about all the things he does in his best summer ever. The boys have many crazy adventures with not as many consequences.

The book is a hilarious comedy about boys being boys. For example, they go out one day Gary Paulsen dares Harris to pee on an electric fence. The things that they think of will keep the reader on his or her toes. The book is best for middle school students and up.

I read Harris and Me, a realistic fiction book by Gary Paulsen. Harris and Me is about a young boy who is sent to live with his cousin, Harris, during the summer. Harris is a wild, daredevil kid who tries to get in all sorts of trouble.They have many adventures on the farm, and if they can survive many encounters with a bird name Ernie, and staying away from Louie's Bobcat, they just might make it through the entire summer alive. Gary Paulsen has written many books, but this is one of his best. this was a very adventurous book with surprises left and right. i think people of all ages would really enjoy the surprising, adventurous book of Harris and Me

The book HARRIS AND ME by Gary Paulson. This book is funny.Well Harris is a charter in the book who loves danger.Near the end of the book they're riding a bike whith a motor fully attached and went 100mp.He flew and all his cloths came off.Harris gets hit so many times it is funny one time he goes fling.Inthe book the narrtor is a cousin to Harris and they have lots of fun togeter.The narrator and Harris took a shot gun got on a hourse they seen it in a movie.They put the shoot gun between the houres ear's and shot it.One time in the book they were pretending pigs were commie japs and jumped on them and started to wrestle with them.

The book HARRIS AND ME by Gary Paulson. This book is funny.Well Harris is a charter in the book who loves danger.Near the end of the book they're riding a bike whith a motor fully attached and went 100mp.He flew and all his cloths came off.Harris gets hit so many times it is funny one time he goes fling.Inthe book the narrtor is a cousin to Harris and they have lots of fun togeter.The narrator and Harris took a shot gun got on a hourse they seen it in a movie.They put the shoot gun between the houres ear's and shot it.One time in the book they were pretending pigs were commie japs and jumped on them and started to wrestle with them.

As adults we tend to read literature, newspapers, and other serious materials but this book, while written for tweens, was the funniest, most entertaining story I have read in a long time. When you visualize the incidences as described by the author you cannot help but laugh out loud. I wish there was a sequel.

HARRIS AND ME was a funny and emotional novel about a boy who moves in with his relatives because his parents were alchoholics. The one boy that the narrator really meshed with was Harris, the youngest and the most trouble in the Larkin family. Just one of the examples of a crazy situation Harris got himself into was peeing on the electric fence and "burning his buisness". Together the 2 boys had many experiences and adventures and they learned that friendship is the best thing anyone could ever have. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read of funny adventures and who likes to just have a laugh once in a while.

I absolutely loved this book. After reading a chapter of the book, it would be all that i could think about. For example, I would be like "oh my gosh, what is going to happen next?" or "that was amazing!" Every time you pick it up to read, you think about what happened last time you read it.Harris and his cousin are always getting in trouble...and Harris always has crazy games to play or weird ideas.All of the characters are great.I think that Gary Paulsen is an excellent writer. He makes you never want to stop reading. He can be funny, sarcastic, or serious. Harris and Me was one of my favorite books.

Harris and Me is nothing like any other Paulsen story. It is an entertaining read-aloud book for ages 10 and up. This story of life on a farm for a young boy brought back many nostalgic memories; milking cows, playing on dangerous farm equipment, getting into creative trouble. My sixth grade students love listening to this story, especially the foul mouth of Harris. I appreciate Paulsen's way of handling colorful language, the reader knows each time that it is not acceptable but realistic. Like many other Paulsen stories, the book ends with the reader expecting anxiously a sequel or more stories of Harris on the farm

Gary Paulsen wrote an amazing heart warming, loving, family oriented book. The idea that the main character come from a family with alcoholic parents, and not really knowing what being in a family is really like, is absolutely great. The main character comes to live with some of his distant family members that happen to live on a farm, so the main character comes from the city not knowing a thing about farming, or how the dynamics of a family relationship actually work. Throughout the book he is going through experiences that are making him feel more at home, and having a sense of a family. The main character started out feeling left out, not belonging, and not accepted. At the end of the book he is feeling right at home, getting a long with everyone, and really knowing how the farm works.
I really like this book because if a child is not in a strong family home, this book is comforting to let a child know that things will look up, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Also, if a child does have a strong sense of family, it is a great read to relate families. For example, my family is very large and in each others life, but at the same time I can relate to the girls cooking and doing the house hold work for the men, because that is how my family is.
This book is a great read, and I recommend it for all children.

Wildly imaginations of Harris, the main character's cousin, can create a mess. But with Harris, everything is fun; starting from playing comme jap to writing a bike with a motor on, life in the countryside is full of excitements. Because of Harris' rude and violent use of language, the house is never settled, but the main character spends a great time at his cousin's house during the summer.

I recommend this book to probably a boy, even though I am girl, since it deals with some "harsh" languages such as swearing. I would think it's about the right level for 5-7th graders :) enjoy!

Some people might find the language in this book offensive, but I think it's pretty mild relative to what most people hear in real life. Like a lot (not all) of Gary Paulsen's books, there is a lot of humour incorporated into the text. I remember having to stifle laughs at three o'clock in the morning, so as not to wake up my parents. There are some parts which make you crack up (speaking figuratively, of course, one should never make it a routine to break into pieces... ok, ok, I know I'm getting a bit silly now.)
[yawn] time to go to bed, writing book reviews tires me out.
Trevor