Harold's Tail

by John Bemelmans Marciano

Harold is a squirrel living a happy if sheltered life in his park on New York City's Upper West Side. But when a streetwise rat persuades him to take part in an experiment, Harold suddenly finds himself without his tail fur-and without a home. Mistaken for a rat and forced out on the unfamiliar streets of New York, Harold encounters a cast of unforgettable characters, including a neurotic pigeon, a vain cat, and a tribe of hostile squirrels. But it's not until Harold discovers allies in an unusual trio of rodents that his adventures really begin. . . . By turns funny, poignant, and suspenseful, Harold's Tail will appeal to fans of Stuart Little and The Cricket in Times Square as it celebrates the courage of an unexpected hero and the resilient power of friendship

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2003

About the author

John Bemelmans Marciano carries on the legacy begun by his grandfather, Ludwig Bemelmans, author and illustrator of the Madeline books, with stunning watercolor artwork and playful, energetic storytelling.

Reviews

[Cheryl]

another that hardtack has on pbs

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harold’s tale starts in Strauss Park and then moves to Riverside Park and eventually all about Manhattan. Harold’s travels starts with a scheming rat named Sidney, who tricks Harold into shaving his tail. Sidney glues it on to his tail and moves in to Harold’s home in Strauss Park. And Harold finds himself homeless. With a bare un-bushy tail everyone takes Harold for a rat!

Harold’s plight and his trans-species culture shock turns into a multicultural experience when, having been rejected by both humans and his fellow squirrels, he’s taken in by a more magnanimous pack of rats and is taught the nocturnal art of garbage can foraging. Marciano tells a delightful tale with well defined lively characters.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harold, a squirrel, and Sidney, a rat, switch roles and discover how the other lives in NYC. This is a warm story about acceptance, survival, and friendship that children 8 and older might enjoy. Though the story is about animals, their story is so realistic that you could imagine it being people living on th street.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

We enjoyed this more than we thought we would. I think the general consensus was, "Who would have thought that a book about a squirrel in New York City could be enjoyable?" I guess I was looking for more of a moral which would have raised my overall rating for this book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. Well told. A little long for what it was. I did think that one strong point of the story was the richly described setting. A number of funny moments but I would have enjoyed more. Great read for 2nd or 3rd graders, especially ones who want to visit NY city in their minds.

[Rebecca Mcewan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this together for Katey's book group. We both really enjoyed the story, and the many illustrations were lovely.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was long and a little dull.