The most recommended books about hares

Who picked these books? Meet our 8 experts.

8 authors created a book list connected to hares, and here are their favorite hare books.
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Book cover of Masquerade

Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne Author Of The Antiquity Affair

From my list on readers who like a good puzzle.

Why are we passionate about this?

As the co-authors of The Antiquity Affair, we most love to craft thrilling stories that involve mysteries and puzzles—the twistier, the better! As both a reader and a gamer, Jennifer has always been drawn to stories that combine elements of fiction and gaming, games and books that pull you in and make you a co-adventurer along with the protagonists, an active participant in the plot. Lee grew up devouring choose-your-own-adventure stories (she’d read them several times, purposefully choosing different paths to get a sense of the whole story universe), and the adventures she pens with Jennifer feel like a return to those empowering narratives, the sense that fiction is dynamic, its own type of game.

Lee's book list on readers who like a good puzzle

Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne Why did Lee love this book?

You might not think a picture book could entice and stump adult readers for decades upon decades.

Not only has Masquerade accomplished that, but it fueled a real-life global hunt for a buried treasure—a golden rabbit hidden in a secret location pointed to by clues in the illustrations and text—that lasted over three years. Controversy abounds over whether the winner actually solved the puzzle on his own or happened upon the rabbit by happenstance.

Treasure or not, the book is priceless in its own right, full of hints and mysteries, many of which we still haven’t fully riddled out.

By Kit Williams,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Masquerade as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In paperback, the book that touched off the treasure hunt of the century-with a full explanation of the Masquerade Riddle.

For three years, treasure-seekers from both sides of the Atlantic sought a fabulous golden hare buried by artist Kit Williams. Williams had devised an unusual guide to the hare's whereabouts: a multilayered riddle that he told in a fairy tale of his own imagining, and presented in dazzling, cryptic, paintings.

When the hare was finally unearthed by a British engineer, many were left wanting to know exactly how the clues worked out. In this paperback reprint of Masquerade, the author…


Book cover of The Long Patrol

Jacqueline Fellows Author Of The Sherangivan

From my list on fantasy about demonic possession.

Why am I passionate about this?

My training is in Classics (especially Greek drama), which has given me an appreciation for clever writers who tweak conventional themes to surprise readers, foil expectations, and explore new ideas—or new sides of old ideas. Greek epic and tragedy also exhibit fairly rigid expectations about personal responsibility: even if a god made you do it, it’s still your responsibility. Agamemnon has to pay for sacrificing his daughter; Heracles has to perform his labors. Madness and possession are vivid ways to explore where one’s autonomy leaves off and another power takes over. They’re excellent tools for poking at humans to see how a thinking, feeling individual deals with unintended disaster.

Jacqueline's book list on fantasy about demonic possession

Jacqueline Fellows Why did Jacqueline love this book?

The Bloodwrath is basically Berserkergang, not possession, right? It affects badgers almost exclusively. What a bummer to be a badger and bear a burden that no one else has!

But it’s a bit more like possession in this book. Lady Cregga has the Bloodwrath more strongly than anyone has ever observed before; her personality seems to reflect this, as she’s impatient, brusque, and aggressive (even for a badger). She’s wounded and loses her sight, and the Bloodwrath goes away.

Even though her personality appears to be tied up with her madness, the Bloodwrath must be something external, since it can leave her without destroying her. Is it an inborn quality or an effect brought about by her personal choices, an appetite that can be satiated, or something else?

By Brian Jacques, Allan Curless (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Long Patrol as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

The tenth book in the beloved, bestselling Redwall saga - soon to be a major Netflix movie!

Tammo dreams of joining the Long Patrol, the legendary army of fighting hares who serve Lady Cregga Rose Eyes, ruler of Salamandastron. And with Damug Warfang's mighty battalion of savage vermin on the rampage, young Tammo's dream is about to become a brutal reality . . .


Book cover of The Sisters of Sea View

Karen Meyer Author Of Simon Kenton, Unlikely Hero: Biography of a Frontiersman

From Karen's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Grandma Gardener Book lover Pack rat

Karen's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Karen Meyer Why did Karen love this book?

We still read Jane Austen because she gently exposes the foibles of her characters as they try to uphold the social conventions of their time. This novel, set in the same time period, does the same.

The three genteel sisters in the story, each with a well-defined personality, are thrust into the dire necessity of earning a living when their father dies. 

We expect romance, of course, but it’s the sister who wears a veil to hide her repaired hare lip who surprises us. Do we see beneath the less-than-lovely exterior of those we meet? That’s one challenge for readers of this multi-layered novel.

By Julie Klassen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Sisters of Sea View as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Some guests have come for a holiday, others for hidden reasons of their own . . .

When their father's death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers and her genteel sisters fear they will be forced to sell the house and separate to earn livelihoods as governesses or companions. Determined to stay together, Sarah convinces them to open their seaside home to guests to make ends meet and provide for their ailing mother. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect to receive, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is soon torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish…


Book cover of Animal Families: Snow

Natasha Wing Author Of Squeak-a-boo!

From my list on cute & cuddly animal lift-the-flap for kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an animal advocate and part-time pet sitter, I wanted to instill the love of animals to babies with a fun board book. I’ve always enjoyed the surprise factor of lift-the-flaps so I was thrilled when Squeak-a-boo! was published. These types of books make for wonderful interactive bonding moments between reader and baby. I hope you enjoy the books on this list, not only for their fun concepts and text, but also for their colorful illustrations. 

Natasha's book list on cute & cuddly animal lift-the-flap for kids

Natasha Wing Why did Natasha love this book?

This book helps young ones learn what daddy, mommy, and baby animals are called.

The guessing game part is after the text that asks what a baby is called. The child lifts the flap and finds out. At the end, kids find out what groups of the animals mentioned are called. Did you know that a group of hares is called a drove? Parents will learn things too!

The title Snow is a bit deceptive but the interiors deliver. 

By Jane Ormes (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Animal Families as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Find out the different names for mother and father animals that live in snowy climates—then lift the flap to find the babies and learn what they are called. This striking, satisfying introduction to animal families features screen-printed artwork and bold neon ink to capture the attention and imagination of babies and toddlers.


Book cover of The Genius of Dogs: Discovering the Unique Intelligence of Man's Best Friend

Michelle Waitzman Author Of Be as Happy as Your Dog: 16 Dog-Tested Ways to Be Happier Using Pawsitive Psychology

From my list on understanding what your dog is thinking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a lifelong dog lover and the author of four nonfiction books. I currently live with two rescue dogs, Marlowe and Nuka (the unofficial co-authors of my book). I decided to write a self-help book after noticing two trends during the recent pandemic: people were struggling to feel happy and optimistic, and people were adding a dog to their household, many for the first time. We all marvel at how our dogs find it so easy to enjoy life, and I was determined to find out what we could learn from them! During my research, I learned so much about how dogs think and feel, and I love sharing this information with other dog lovers.

Michelle's book list on understanding what your dog is thinking

Michelle Waitzman Why did Michelle love this book?

Dr. Brian Hare accidentally became a dog researcher when his research supervisor showed him an experiment with chimpanzees.

The chimps couldn’t understand what humans were trying to communicate when they pointed at something. Hare’s reaction: “My dog can do that!” His supervisor asked him to prove it, and a canine career was born!

The Genius of Dogs explains what dogs are good at, and what they’re not so good at. It’s absolutely fascinating, and you’ll be tempted to test out his findings on your own dog! He explains various experiments that he and other researchers have undertaken to test different abilities and types of intelligence.

As the founder of the Duke University Canine Cognition Center, Hare and his wife Woods are at the cutting edge of understanding dogs’ minds and behaviors. This was a great book that looks at what dogs really can do, rather than implying it from general…

By Brian Hare, Vanessa Woods,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Genius of Dogs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The journey began with a gut reaction. When award-winning scientist Dr Brian Hare watched a chimpanzee fail to read a simple human hand gesture in an intelligence test, he blurted out, 'My dog can do that!' The psychologist running the test challenged him to prove it, sending Hare on an odyssey to unlock the cognitive and evolutionary mysteries of our four-legged friends.

Hare's research over the past two decades has yielded startling discoveries about how dogs think. He has pioneered studies that have proven that dogs exhibit a brand of genius for getting along with people that is unique in…


Book cover of Quest for the Golden Hare

Becky Crew Author Of Creatura: Strange Behaviours and Special Adaptations

From my list on bizarre animal adventures.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always had a love for weird and wonderful animals. As a kid, I used to collect lizards, snails, beetles, and caterpillars. When I was 15, I hid a family of white mice under the house so my parents wouldn’t find them. We bred guinea pigs and rats for a time. It was almost inevitable that I would end up writing about animals. As a science communicator, I tell stories about how strange yet relatable so many of the creatures living among us can be. I also love an adventure, and I hope these books capture your imagination as they did mine! 

Becky's book list on bizarre animal adventures

Becky Crew Why did Becky love this book?

From a wild sheep chase to a grand old treasure hunt that gripped a nation, the Quest for the Golden Hare tells the real-life story of one of the most famous book-related escapades in recent memory. 

In 1979, British artist Kit Williams published Masquerade – a cryptic storybook containing clues to the whereabouts of an 18-carat gold hare trinket that Williams buried somewhere in the English countryside. Author Bamber Gascoigne was the only other person present at the burial, and was tasked with documenting the frankly bonkers lengths the crazed fans would go to uncover it.

I’m loath to mention the pandemic again, but in these times, when most of us are going stir crazy and are itching for an adventure, this book might just be the next best thing. (Bonus points if you can source a copy of Masquerade while you’re at it, which I believe has been…

By Bamber Gascoigne,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Quest for the Golden Hare as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Book by Gascoigne, Bamber


Book cover of Greyhound Nation: A Coevolutionary History of England, 1200-1900

Michael Worboys Author Of Doggy People: The Victorians Who Made the Modern Dog

From my list on the history of modern dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a historian of biology and biomedicine who has always been an outsider. Most of my colleagues have worked on ‘Darwin to DNA’ – evolution, physiology, genetics, and molecular biology. My interests have been in applied biology – parasites, insects, fungi, bacteria, biomedicine, animal diseases, and latterly dogs. It was a book on rabies, that I wrote with Neil Pemberton, that got me into dogs. In our research and writing we explored the wider social history of dog ownership and then, encouraged by the new interest in Animal History, researched how, and by whom, dogs’ bodies and behaviour had been shaped and reshaped, beginning in the Victorian period. 

Michael's book list on the history of modern dogs

Michael Worboys Why did Michael love this book?

Edmund Russell has a challenging approach to History. He wants histories of human societies and animals to be written together.

It is uncontroversial that humans shaped domestic and farm animals, but Russell contends that these animals have shaped human societies, in a process he terms coevolution.

This fascinating book reveals the coevolution of greyhounds and humans. Greyhounds were created with the physique and speed to catch hares on country estates. Then in the nineteenth century, through organized coursing events and dog shows, greyhounds became standardized and more uniform in look.

The new greyhounds created new social roles through the democratization of greyhound ownership and new recreational opportunities. Coursing was reinvented in the twentieth century as greyhound racing, an innovative mass urban entertainment, where dogs chased electrically powered hares in a floodlit spectacle.

By Edmund Russell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Greyhound Nation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Edmund Russell's much-anticipated new book examines interactions between greyhounds and their owners in England from 1200 to 1900 to make a compelling case that history is an evolutionary process. Challenging the popular notion that animal breeds remain uniform over time and space, Russell integrates history and biology to offer a fresh take on human-animal coevolution. Using greyhounds in England as a case study, Russell shows that greyhounds varied and changed just as much as their owners. Not only did they evolve in response to each other, but people and dogs both evolved in response to the forces of modernization, such…


Book cover of Daddy Hugs

Jessica Dall Author Of Forever Bound

From Jessica's 4-year-old's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Novelist Romance Addict History Buff Reader Bibliophile

Jessica's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Plus, Jessica's 4-year-old's favorite books.

Jessica Dall Why did Jessica's 4-year-old love this book?

(Are you getting the sense that we have a bit of a daddy’s girl around here?)

But anyway, adorable illustrations, a cute story about different animal dads hugging their kids/pups/chicks that human dads can act out, and simple sentences that are structured to be easy enough for early readers to help pick out some of the words has made this one a favorite all year.

It was so well loved that we ended up having to buy a copy from Amazon so that we didn’t have to keep renewing it from the library.

By Nancy Tafuri,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Daddy Hugs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Little ones love daddy hugs.

Feathered hugs... whiskered hugs... cozy hugs.

Just-daddy-and-me hugs.

All across the woodlands, animal daddies and their little ones cuddle up together. From furry bear hugs to silky hare hugs, Nancy Tafuri celebrates all the hugs that are extra special because they are just-daddy-and-me hugs. A special author's note includes a list of critters to seek and find on each page, along with their scientific names.


Book cover of The Origin of Day and Night

Robin Currie Author Of Tuktuk: Tundra Tale

From my list on for winter reading.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a children’s librarian and author, I am curious about all kinds of subjects. So, the arctic wilderness which appears to be barren tundra but teems with animal life, unique landforms, and aurora borealis glow intrigued me. Winter Solstice is an excellent theme to use for multicultural study and as an alternative topic for December when the completing holidays seem like overkill. I have been to Alaska to hear glaciers boom as they calf, see endless ice fields, and witness frolicking sea lions.

Robin's book list on for winter reading

Robin Currie Why did Robin love this book?

I appreciate the genuine Inuit voice of this story of creation, so I researched the author.

Rumolt is active in the Inuit community and teaches elementary school there, but her education was started by her grandmother’s traditional tales. The book is in spare text in the tradition of the storyteller. The art is primarily black and white with touches of color, all the more welcome as a surprise.

In the end the story is about compromise and friendship and a beautiful introduction to a unit or theme of creation, seasons, or mythology. 

By Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt, Lenny Lishchenko (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Origin of Day and Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

In this Inuit tale, the actions of a hare and a fox change the Arctic forever by creating day and night. In very early times, there was no night or day and words spoken by chance could become real. When a hare and a fox meet and express their longing for light and darkness, their words are too powerful to be denied. Passed orally from storyteller to storyteller for hundreds of years, this beautifully illustrated story weaves together elements of an origin story and a traditional animal tale, giving young readers a window into Inuit mythology.