Hare and Tortoise

by Helen Ward

Award-winning illustrator Helen Ward's beautiful retelling of the classic fable about one fast hare and one slow tortoise.

Join one fast hare and one slow tortoise, along with a whole host of other animals, to discover who will be the winner of a most unusual race.

Award-winning illustrator and author Helen Ward's gorgeous artwork breathes new life into the classic fable, now in a redesigned paperback edition.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fairy Tales, Fables, Fiction

Paperback

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

Helen Ward won the first Walker Prize for Children’s Illustration and twice won the British National Art Library Award. She has also been short-listed for the 2003 Kate Greenaway Medal. She lives in Gloucestershire, England.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Requested for the art, which is indeed stunning. But the story is marvelous, too, with details I've not seen in other versions, including the unbiased referee and the challenging river crossing....

4.5 stars rounded up because, while I don't think *everyone* needs to read it, it's my favorite book of one of the best/ most relevant of Aesop's fables, and the GR community rating is confusingly low.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars. Loved this retelling!!! The story is told simply but, oh, with such flavor! I couldn't stand the hare from page one!!! What a pompous, careless, self-centered little creature. (Possibly adults get a little more out of the story, knowing how such individuals really do run around and make havoc in our lives, haha!) The tortoise, on the other hand, doesn't make a stink about it--he simply goes along calmly with his own life, not getting upset, allowing the hare to build his own destiny (ah, again, such wise lessons for us all!) The illustrations are gorgeous--they are quite realistic and yet also charming. (At times, they reminded me a bit of Marjolian Bastin's work.) Lots of creatures from all over the world gather to watch the race--even some "obscure" ones that kids will love meeting. The end of the book has a great educational segment identifying all the creatures and giving a little info on them.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The classic story of the boastful Hare and the persistent Tortoise is here retold by English artist Helen Ward, who has since authored and illustrated Unwitting Wisdom , a collection of fables from Aesop. When Hare falls headlong over Tortoise while out for a run, his abusive reaction leads to a challenge. Who will win their race...?

Everyone knows the answer to that, of course, but the fun of reading Ward's retelling lies in watching the participants get to the finish line, and in looking at her detailed ink and watercolor illustrations. The many animal spectators come from all over the world, and include everything from a pronghorn antelope to an emu - all identified in the helpful appendix Ward includes at the rear of the book.

All in all The Hare and the Tortoise is an appealing retelling, although Ward does take some liberties with the story. The role of the spectators in delaying Hare does take some of the glory away from Tortoise, but as it is prompted by Hare's boastful behavior, the moral still shines through.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I loved about this book was the variety of animals it featured, everything from a cheetah to a giraffe, to a sloth and a lorikeet! Not to mention that at the end of the book are little facts about each of the animals - like which is the slowest animal in the world, the fastest, etc.
The illustrations were quite nice as well - pretty accurate, but still with a child-friendly cuteness.

The story itself is pretty much the same as always but it includes a few fun twists because of the variety of animals. I can't help but feel a little sorry for the hare, but it is a story of consequences, so it dose have its place.

If you can find this, I'd definitely pick it up - it's a fun treat on every page.

[Errin Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is considered to be a folklore and is written for children P-I.

This is a story about a hare who is faster than the tortoise. After a race the tortoise proves to be smarter than the hare.

I gave this story a rating of 5 stars because there was a theme and lesson to be learned that it's not always important to be first but that you finish your task, or in this case the race. The pictures in the story clearly compliment the story line. I think this book would be appealing to children of different ages and even adults as well.

Teachers can use this book in the classroom by reiterating the theme of the story and asking children what they think about the theme. The can also discuss their favorite part of the story. Also, they can make sure they understand the moral of the story.

[Anna Mock · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked: The lovely and clever illustrations. The extra info in the back about all the amazing animals featured in the illustrations. The short and big text that made it easy to read to kids and get the story down while we could "read" the rest of the story going on in the illustrations.

What I didn't like: I'm sure the author wanted to show that nobody likes a bully, but instead of showing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, wherein the hare could have learned the consequences of his actions, but also learned that he we all make mistakes and we really can repent and truly change our ways, instead he was ganged up on and bullied and in the end, I'm pretty sure he just felt humiliated and unloved and alone. If fables are meant to teach us a moral or a lesson about how to become a better person, this one definitely did not. It teaches that if there is someone who has a fault and does something wrong and that we don't like (the hare was a prideful jerk and made a mistake and blamed it on someone else) then it is ok to gang up on that person so they can be humiliated and shown of how little worth they are to the community. So... not ok. I hate being harsh with children's picture books, for goodness sakes, but these are not the values we should be teaching to our children. I don't think it's cute and I don't think it's helpful for childhood development and society in general.

So when we read this book, we enjoy the illustrations and talk about the pictures, but we also make sure that we are learning to NOT be like the hare and to also NOT be like the other animals. We talk about how this situation could have been different so that the hare could be encouraged to change and become a better person.

[VadaK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This retelling of Aesop's fables is wonderfully done. The illustrations are a delight that the reader encounters on each page. The placement of the text around and sometimes through the illustration adds to the forward motion and feel of the story. This retelling go the fable includes a wide variety of animals not usually seen in other books. The illustrations bring the characters and the other animals to life during the story. This striking version of the Tortoise and the Hare retold and illustrated by Helen Ward received the Association for Library Service to Children's notable award.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely watercolor illustrations enhance this enchanting retelling of the Aesop fable. There are some charming surprises in the recounting of the story of the race between the two animals. Young and old alike will find much to appreciate in this wonderful book.

In addition to the story, there is a Key to the Animals at the end of the story, providing the reader with information about the animals in the story.

Highly recommended.

[Josie Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a classic story between the hare and the tortoise. It is about one day when a rabbit and a tortoise bump into each other and the tortoise challenges the rabbit to a race. When the race starts the rabbit and the tortoise were at different paces throughout the whole race. But along the way the rabbit makes some not great decisions along the way which give him some consequences for his actions.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

This telling of the traditional fable deserves more than four stars, for the biologically accurate illustrations - and the fact the key at the end tells the adult purchaser that this is a lot cleverer than it at first appeared.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sorry that you got in a prickly tree, hare. Yeah, I'm really sorry.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gostei da frequência com que a letra "d" apareceu

[Recensioni in tre parole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suggestivo. Caldo. Complesso.

[Bridget Allebach]

Title: The Hare and the Tortoise
Author: Helen Ward
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Slow and steady wins the race
Opening line/sentence:
“There once was a very fast hare….
and a very slow tortoise.”
Brief Book Summary: This rendition of the classic story includes a very arrogant hare and persevering and thoughtful tortoise. It tells the classic story of the rambunctious hare who gets a little too sure of himself and ends up losing to the strong-willed tortoise.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: (3) K-3 Both Ward's dryly humorous text and her crisp, carefully drafted, realistic watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations add panache to the overly familiar Aesop tale of "slow and steady wins the race." The book's type design rolls, leaps, and plunges along with the characters. A section at the end of the book provides interesting facts about the audience of animal spectators represented in the artwork. (Horn Book)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Ward uses this tale as a vehicle for her absorbing pictures of animals from around the world. The spare text allows the illustrations to tell the part of the story she's added: that the animals, who have come from far and wide to see the race, conspire to slow down the hare and let their considerate friend win. This change destroys Aesop's moral of perseverance and creates unwarranted sympathy for the hare. It also allows readers to concentrate on the conglomeration of creatures that Ward has assembled in the beautiful and scientifically precise ink-and-watercolor illustrations. The book is excellently designed, with a generous use of white space and large-type lines that literally bend to the motion in the pictures and the pacing of the story. The narrative is fluid, though the voice in the telling is not as strong as the voice in the paintings. Copious endnotes on the species depicted (as compared to the lack of any notes about the retelling) indicate that this is intended to be a visual treat for animal lovers, and not a book for those looking for Aesop. (Nina Lindsay, School Library Journal)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: As mentioned in the reviews, the amazing stretching and movement of the text on the page adds great intrigue to the story. This feature paired with the amazingly realistic illustrations allows the reader to feel like they are at the race.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book’s imagery allows readers to feel like they are a part of this race. The anthropomorphism of the animals talking to one another allows the story to come to life even more, giving the reader a better understanding of this classic story.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This story is a sure fix for teaching students the importance of taking their time and staying determined in order to be successful. Children can use this story to understand the benefits of perseverance and trying their best.

[Yvonne Mannion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters: Tortoise and hare

Setting: Somewhere in Africa, or so I am assuming based on the animals

Theme: Fable

Motif: A wise and a foolish beast

Summary: One day, hare was running wildly through the forest. He tripped on the tortoise, and fell into a bush full of thorns, which angered him. The hare called tortoise names. Rather than responding in kind, tortoise challenged hare to a race. When the race began, the hare jumped from stone to stone to cross a river. However, one of the stones was a hippopotamus that took him off course. The turtle floated across on his back. When he got to shore, the rabbit got lost in a dense forest full of branches and legs. He was so tired and confident that he took a nap. When he awoke, he was in a garden. He figured he had time to eat his fill, which he did. Soon he heard the crowd cheering as tortoise approached the finish line. Try as he did, hare couldn’t make it to the finish line ahead of the wise tortoise. Not only did he not win, he ran head first into another, even thornier, bush. The story is followed by three pages of information about the animals.

Strengths/Weaknesses: The story is simply retold. The text is large and easily read, and the illustrations of the animals are created in beautiful detail. Backgrounds are simple or left white, depending on if they support the text. My only wish is that animals wouldn’t have been so densely stacked in some of the illustrations. It is a bit difficult to identify all of them.
Illustrations: The animals are depicted in lifelike detail, if sometimes a bit obscured. They are gorgeous. As mentioned, the backgrounds are simple.

Target Audience: Ages 3 to 6

Curriculum Ties: This is a good text to read aloud to early elementary students. The pictures can be used to reinforce animal names. Students in first or second grade could be asked to identify the lesson that hare learned.

Personal Critique: What I like about this version is the way that the animals work together to teach hare a lesson, and how we see this collaboration in the illustrations rather than read about it in the text. The only taunting comes from hare following his initial fall.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a re-telling of the Aesop's Fable, The Tortoise and the Hare. The large colorful illustrations and short sentences on each page will appeal to the pre-schooler and toddler alike. As the race between the tortoise and the hare takes off, animal spectators fill every page. At the end of the book is a helpful "Key to the Animals" providing information on all and a helpful index of who's who. This is a bright, colorful picture book that is very appealing to the eye.

CIP Summary:
Retells the events of the famous race between the boastful hare and the persevering tortoise.

Horn Book Guide:
Age: K-3 Both Ward's dryly humorous text and her crisp, carefully drafted, realistic watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations add panache to the overly familiar Aesop tale of slow and steady wins the race. The book's type design rolls, leaps, and plunges along with the characters. A section at the end of the book provides interesting facts about the audience of animal spectators represented in the artwork. Horn Rating: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Booklist:
Ages 4^-8. In this age of satirical versions of fables and fairy tales, a straightforward, elegant, witty retelling of an old favorite such as "The Hare and the Tortoise" comes as a particular pleasure. The focus of this large, spacious picture book is real animals, from the two title characters to the many that come to see the race. With black ink outlines meticulously delineating the creatures' fur and markings, Ward's watercolor-and-gouache paintings show each animal as both warmly cuddly and realistic. The brief story, with its large, easy-to-see pictures, makes a fine story hour choice for younger children. For older ones, there's more fun at the back of the book.

[Chelsea Yarworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The genre of this book is folklore and would best fit in a kindergarten through third grade. In the story it began when a hare claims to be able to run faster than all of the other animals. Only the tortoise is brave enough to match him in a race. The boastful hare is confident that he will win, but he takes a rest near the end of the race and falls asleep. The tortoise still was slowly but steadily finishing the race and won. I rated this 5 out of 5 stars because of the moral of the story and what it can teach children. The lesson of this story was that if they keep trying at something then they will succeed. I would use this lesson to teach my students that its often better to slow down, take your time to do your work than it is to rush through it and it not working out. The illustrations are through the eyes of all the other animals watching the race. Also, in the back of the book there is a key to the animals pointing out each animal in the story and giving facts about who they are. The photographs were realistic watercolor and pen and ink and wording is is large and easily be able read.

[Geneva Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fairy tale has always been one of my favorites. The hare is always teasing the tortoise for being so slow. The tortoise tells the hare he will beat him at a race and the hare laughs and tells everyone what he said. The hare accepts the challenge and thinks he has it won before the race started. The turtle takes his time at a slow and steady pace, while the hare speeds out of sight. The hare grows tired and thinking he has plenty of time winds up falling asleep. The tortoise keeps going and wins the race after all.


in the classroom:

This fairy tale goes to show that "slow and steady wins the race." You could use this story as a lesson to teach children that its often better to slow down, take your time to do your work than it is to rush through it and it not working out. They will learn that patience has its rewards.

[Daisy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

the Hare and the Tortise is the story we all know and love but it is illustrated through the eyes of all the other animals watching the event. this traditional book teaches lessons of life in a fun way that children can relate to. one lesson being "patience is a virtue" and "if you are caring and thoughful you will always win the race." what i like the most about this retold story is that in the back of the book there is a key to the animals. it goes through the story once more pointing out each animal in the story and giving facts about who they are. this can be a good learning tool for more than just life lessons.

[Sam Shaneybrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for children from 5 years and older. This is a classic tale that I heard when I was a little kid. This retelling of the tale is really amazing because it has such a variety of animals and pictures of animals that the writer has a glossery in the back with all the different animals. This story also has such a great moral to the end. I recommend this book because kids will learn that there are other kids out there that act like the Hare but as long as your going at your own pace, you will succeed.

[LCL Children'S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful beautiful book, consistent with Helen Ward’s work in general. Her ability to draw interesting and realistic looking animals is well suited for this story. She also adds a few quirky twists to the original story line, though she sticks with the classic, basic message and ending. Text is artfully arranged and there is, most definitely, not too much of it (good thing in this case).
Because the amount of text is reasonable and the illustrations are huge and beautiful, this would be a good choice to read aloud.

[Kelli]

This version of The Hare and the Tortoise is very similar to Aesop's story. Nothing is actually different except maybe the illustrations, but the moral is still positive and encouraging. Slow and steady wins the race, as the slow tortoise demonstrates while the speedy hare gets too caught up in trying to win. The hare actually falls behind when he's distracted, letting the tortoise cross the finish line before him.

[Danielle Siddon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boastful hare claims to be able to run faster than all of the other animals in the forest. Only a tortoise is brave enough to challenge him in a race. The boastful hare is so confident that he will win that he takes a rest near the end of the race, but falls asleep in the sun. The tortoise meanwhile slowly but steadily finishes the race and wins.

A simple story portraying a clear message.

Age range 4 – 7

A suitable book to read to the class, or to have on the class bookshelf.

[Aiden Dunnigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hare and the tortoise is one of my favorites. It teaches kids to forgo arrogance if they are naturally gifted at something. It says be grateful for your talent, just don't brag and be an ass about it. The tortoise's patience and perseverance through the finish line is also a great lesson for readers saying that when the going gets tough, keep going.

[Dan Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this retelling because it includes all the other animals from the forset instead of just the tortoise and the hare. Aesop's fables are great for children because it teaches them life lessons.

[Rakisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good read aloud version of the AESOP classic. Perfect for group story times with kindergarten to second graders. The ink and paint illustrations are large but does not clutter the page, which allows the text of the story to be seen easily by both the reader and audience.

[Olivia Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is a retelling of the tortoise and the hare. The hare carelessly trips over the turtle and calls him names. The turtle challenges him to a race. The rabbit is too boastful and arrogance that the hare wins the race and the rabbit learns not to be mean again.

[Gabriela Murillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hare and the tortoise was very good book it teaches us not to think highly of once ability and think less of others because it could turn out the opposite. I think good book that will teach young kids a good lesson.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the illustrations in this rendition of the Hare and the Tortoise. The back of the book also has some special pages filled with extra readings and things to share with your students. Love that part!

[Karalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute version of the Tortoise and the Hare, significant for its detailed and realistic illustrations. In the back of the book, Ward has included the specific names of every animal included in her book. Animal lovers will enjoy this book!