A review by johnw613
Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered by Gary Paulsen

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A utterly charming and hilarious picaresque take on the city mouse/country mouse dynamic. An unnamed narrator from a dysfunctional family spend the summer of his eleventh year with the family of a distant cousin on their farm in rural Minnesota. He spends his time with his cousin, nine year old Harris, whose thirst for adventure and mischief often lands them both in trouble. Through the summer, in between farm chores and dealing with some notably eccentric people, including farm hand Louie who eats like a combine and rarely speaks, and some even more eccentric animals, among them a lynx named Buzzer who, trust me, you don’t want to cross, Harris creates all sorts of wild highjinks, including the reenactment of a scene from a Gene Autry movie, bringing the nameless narrator along for the wildest of rides. 

At first the narrator feels very much the outsider, but gradually Harris, who exhibits a rough and tumble yearning to include, brings him into his fantastical world and you can feel their budding lifelong friendship as it forms and solidifies. Sadly the summer comes to an end and “Me” has to return home. Harris tries to create one last adventure that would allow “Me” to stay, in a denouement that had me crying buckets. This is a wonderful book.