What readers think of Raising Hare, plus links to write your own review.

A lovely memoir written by Chloe Dalton about an abandoned leveret (baby hare) that she finds on her countryside property. Knowing the risks of trying to raise a wild animal, she consults vets and reads as much as she can about hares. To her delight the leveret thrives and becomes a frequent visitor over the years. In fact, the leveret as an adult even has some of her babies in Dalton's home.

I am a wildlife rehabilitator and I was extremely impressed by Dalton's care of this animal. She did everything right. She did not name it, she didn't try to turn it into a pet and she was determined to return it to the wild. These are all hard tasks because it is so easy to get attached to an animal if you are the one raising it. We tend to anthropomorphize animals (especially babies).

As I know, these wild animals teach us so much. As with Dalton, they teach us to become conservationists and to care about nature.

The book has lots of scientific information that might not be of interest to all readers, but I found it fascinating. In addition to that, each chapter is headed with a charming drawing.

I loved this book.

A wonderful book. This is a privileged visit into the quiet simplicity of the hare's world. Dalton showed me how a deceptively small animal can teach such large lessons. I look at nature around me with a gentler and more inquisitive eye thanks to her story.

I would have liked the book to have included a drawing or sketch of her house and garden as it was cumbersome for me to picture it in my mind's eye.

This is a touching memoir of Dalton's relationship with a leveret – a baby hare – that she finds not far from her home in the English countryside. With no mother in sight, she fears it may not survive on its own. She decides to take it home for one night, taking care to not leave her scent on the leveret so it can be released back into the wild.

What follows is a multi-year relationship with the leveret as it develops into a full grown hare, lives in both her house and garden while venturing out into the wild. Throughout, Dalton struggles with providing the hare with a safe space while not confining it or turning it into a pet. The "relationship" that develops between the two is heartwarming.

She also covers how we treat nature around us, particularly as it affects wild animals. But there was too much and felt like filler to me. While the line drawings of hares to start each chapter are nice, I would have liked some photographs to reference as she made observations about physical characteristics and colors.

I've never had a pet rabbit/hare and am not particularly fond of them - they eat my hostas! So I was not to excited about this book. But it grew on me.

The book is a memoir, the story of the author's rescue in rural England, of a baby hare, known as a leveret. She purposely wanted to keep it as wild as possible so she could release it back into the wild as soon as possible. But it stuck around. The two bonded - sort of, and both benefited immensely. "The leveret's calm and orderly existence challenged my priorities and woke up my senses." "Through the leveret, I had discovered the pleasure of attachment to place and the contentment that can be derived from exploring it fully, rather than constantly seeking ways to leave it and believing that satisfaction can only lie in novel experiences."

Chloe Dalton's description of the English countryside are particularly touching. She is an excellent writer.

I've recommended the book to one friend, but I will say that it is not for everyone. Not a lot of action, no drama, just a sweet, sweet story of nature and our place in it.

This memoir was a delight... "our" place in the natural world comes to life in Chloe Dalton's lovely memoir "Raising Hare". Even political advisors can appreciate what we, as humans, can learn from a newborn hare. Her committment to caring for yet NOT domesticating this creature is commendable. Well written with clean easy prose, I would highly recommend this book for any true nature lover, or someone who has an interest in saving what is left on our planet.

The opening scenes in “Raising Hare” involve political advisor Chloe Dalton creating a habitat for a leveret, a one-year-old hare without a mother. The odds appeared stacked against her, and we root for success. I read critics that said there was “too much hare” in this book, but if you have ever connected with a baby animal, as we did with our hedgehogs, you will relate.

If you struggled to know that hares and rabbits were different (like me), their tendencies will be new to you, like their ability to conceive while already pregnant. They can also be flighty, but always return to the same spot eventually. This made Chloe’s life challenging as she plotted a return to the city. Could she abandon this lovely creature, and would it notice?

The attention to detail here, both in writing and in description of the animal, will impress you. Dalton obviously paid attention to the animal. The adventure begins when Dalton discovers the animal’s sex and realizes that more problems associated with caring for the animal are afoot, leading her to question her importance in the hare’s life.

Dalton achieves the most when describing the animal kingdom with the drama it deserves. When you develop an attachment, it seems unfair that one being serves as prey. The short lifespans of hares in the wild make this all the more dramatic, while scores of hares begin to appear around Dalton with varied results.

Considering that this is Dalton’s first novel, you have to tip your cap to her on her imagery here. You were right there in the fields in the English countryside. If you did not appreciate hares for their idiosyncrasies and role in the ecosystem, you will after reading “Raising Hare.” Those who have embraced exotic pets will remember their motivation.

I've never had a pet rabbit/hare and am not particularly fond of them - they eat my hostas! So I was not to excited about this book. But it grew on me.

The book is a memoir, the story of the author's rescue in rural England, of a baby hare, known as a leveret. She purposely wanted to keep it as wild as possible so she could release it back into the wild as soon as possible. But it stuck around. The two bonded - sort of, and both benefited immensely. "The leveret's calm and orderly existence challenged my priorities and woke up my senses." "Through the leveret, I had discovered the pleasure of attachment to place and the contentment that can be derived from exploring it fully, rather than constantly seeking ways to leave it and believing that satisfaction can only lie in novel experiences."

Chloe Dalton's description of the English countryside are particularly touching. She is an excellent writer.

I've recommended the book to one friend, but I will say that it is not for everyone. Not a lot of action, no drama, just a sweet, sweet story of nature and our place in it.

This is a delightful book. It detailed the experience of raising a wild hare with such interesting facts and details. I would recommend this book to anyone.