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Harriet Hound
The world’s happiest and most dog-friendly superhero is here! A brand new adventure for junior readers from Kate Foster.
Meet Harriet Hound. She’s eight years old and loves dogs!
But Harriet has something else that makes her super … the power to summon the dogs from her family’s rescue shelter every time there’s trouble afoot.
Whether it’s a carnival catastrophe, a sudden storm, or vanishing vegetables, Harriet and her best dog friends use their super special talents and problem-solving skills to save the day!
"Perfectly-judged stories that will thrill young readers with intriguing mysteries, simple-yet-rhythmic writing and a highly-inventive brand of canine magic." Andrew McDonald
"This gorgeous book gets a big paws-up from me – funny, adorable and packed full of puppies." Nat Amoore
Meet Harriet Hound. She’s eight years old and loves dogs!
But Harriet has something else that makes her super … the power to summon the dogs from her family’s rescue shelter every time there’s trouble afoot.
Whether it’s a carnival catastrophe, a sudden storm, or vanishing vegetables, Harriet and her best dog friends use their super special talents and problem-solving skills to save the day!
"Perfectly-judged stories that will thrill young readers with intriguing mysteries, simple-yet-rhythmic writing and a highly-inventive brand of canine magic." Andrew McDonald
"This gorgeous book gets a big paws-up from me – funny, adorable and packed full of puppies." Nat Amoore
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2023
6 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Kate Foster
5 books501 followersI'm a children's author writing about friends, family and dogs, represented by Lydia Silver at Darley Anderson.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 19, 2023
This book is absolutely wonderful! Cute dogs and an autistic girl with superpowers- what more could you ask for. My 8 year old and I read this together and loved every minute. It created some great conversations about autism and neurodivergence in our house, as well as just being a great series of stories.
Harriet and her family run a dog shelter called Hound’s Rescue. Harriet knows and loves each and every dog that they care for, so she knows exactly which dog can help in tricky situations. When help is needed Harriet transforms into a superhero, wearing her special dog pyjamas. She only needs to touch a picture of a dog on her pyjamas and she can summon them to help with an situation, whether it’s digging holes or catching thieves. This book (hopefully the first in a series) has 3 stories and they are perfect for ages 7-9 and for reading aloud. Harriet Hound gets two paws up from me!
Harriet and her family run a dog shelter called Hound’s Rescue. Harriet knows and loves each and every dog that they care for, so she knows exactly which dog can help in tricky situations. When help is needed Harriet transforms into a superhero, wearing her special dog pyjamas. She only needs to touch a picture of a dog on her pyjamas and she can summon them to help with an situation, whether it’s digging holes or catching thieves. This book (hopefully the first in a series) has 3 stories and they are perfect for ages 7-9 and for reading aloud. Harriet Hound gets two paws up from me!
March 24, 2023
Harriet Hound by Kate Foster is an exciting middle grade adventure mystery about an Autistic girl with magical superpowers. You cannot help but fall in love with Harriet and her special rescue dogs.
Harriet is eight years old, vegan, and everything in Harriet’s life relates to dogs—her last name is Hound, she lives at a dog rescue shelter called Hound’s Rescue, which is located on Hound Lane, in a town called Labrador. Luckily for Harriet, she adores dogs!
But Harriet has a big secret! On her eighth birthday, she finds a dusty old box by her bed. Upon opening the box, a book appears with a note from her Nana. Harriet is about to become a superhero! With a puff of magic, Harriet will be able to call on whichever dogs she needs from the rescue centre to save the day.
We follow Harriet and the dogs from Hound’s Rescue as they investigate three mysteries:
Can Harriet find the vegetables missing from Marcia’s garden?
What will happen when Harriet’s class from Labrador Open School get stuck in a sudden storm during an excursion to Labrador Wetlands?
Will Harriet save the day when the star act of the Labrador Winter Carnival—Mr Hayashi, the Ice-Cream Magician—is unable to perform his show?
The author is Autistic themselves and the Autistic representation in Harriet Hound is charming and authentic. Many of Harriet’s experiences will be relatable to young Autistic readers. She stims frequently, providing reassurance that stimming is wonderful and there’s no reason to be worried. Although Harriet has many adventures, she likes familiarity and follows a regular routine. She experiences anxiety and sensory sensitivities, and we are shown how her needs are accommodated and supported. Dogs, of course, are clearly Harriet’s special interest. There is so much joy in Harriet’s life, which comes from her intense experiences and passions.
Education is gently provided by demonstrating that autism is an ordinary part of Harriet’s life. Her family and the townsfolk of Labrador accept her just the way she is, and she is surrounded by peers at her school for Autistic children. We learn about Harriet’s Autistic features throughout the book in the same way we learn about her personality, her likes, and dislikes. While difficulties are touched on, autism is normalised through positive characterisation.
Harriet’s love of dogs is evident. She has immense respect for the rescue dogs, and has learnt how to care for them—Harriet even has her own tasks to complete at the rescue centre. Many children with a beloved pet in their lives will relate to the comfort and friendship these dogs provide Harriet. And in true Autistic style (many Autistic people love to discuss their interests), Harriet shares fact sheets about the heroic dogs in the story as well as a guide to rescuing dogs.
Action abounds as we wonder how Harriet will utilise her superpowers and the rescue dogs to save the day. Sometimes clues are left to point us in the right direction, other times there are unexpected developments to keep us guessing. Each adventure is neatly wrapped up before the next begins.
The layout is well presented. Fonts occasionally vary in size to emphasise different aspects of the text—magic, intense feelings, and issues of importance to Harriet. Combined with the short chapter lengths, this is very effective in breaking the text into manageable sections and adding excitement. Readers are told exactly how intense Harriet is feeling by the size of the text, which is enhanced by Sophie Beer’s delightful black and white illustrations of key scenes.
Everything about Harriet Hound is loveable; the book was pleasure to read. As an Autistic adult, I wish there were protagonists like Harriet when I was younger. It would have made a measurable difference to my self-esteem and confidence to see stories about children who think and act in a similar manner to myself, especially children like Harriet who are comfortable with their own identity. I applaud the affirming depiction of autism which illustrates that being Autistic is simply a different way of being, not something that is wrong or to be ashamed of.
I highly recommend Harriet Hound for young readers, around 6 to 10 years of age. This will also be a fantastic story to read with non-Autistic children—and even adults—to compassionately introduce autism and some of the differences they may find between themselves and Autistic children. Harriet Hound will be a treasured addition to libraries, including school, public, and home collections.
Thank you to Kate Foster for the advanced review copy of Harriet Hound. All opinions in this review are my own and have not been solicited from the author.
Harriet is eight years old, vegan, and everything in Harriet’s life relates to dogs—her last name is Hound, she lives at a dog rescue shelter called Hound’s Rescue, which is located on Hound Lane, in a town called Labrador. Luckily for Harriet, she adores dogs!
But Harriet has a big secret! On her eighth birthday, she finds a dusty old box by her bed. Upon opening the box, a book appears with a note from her Nana. Harriet is about to become a superhero! With a puff of magic, Harriet will be able to call on whichever dogs she needs from the rescue centre to save the day.
We follow Harriet and the dogs from Hound’s Rescue as they investigate three mysteries:
Can Harriet find the vegetables missing from Marcia’s garden?
What will happen when Harriet’s class from Labrador Open School get stuck in a sudden storm during an excursion to Labrador Wetlands?
Will Harriet save the day when the star act of the Labrador Winter Carnival—Mr Hayashi, the Ice-Cream Magician—is unable to perform his show?
The author is Autistic themselves and the Autistic representation in Harriet Hound is charming and authentic. Many of Harriet’s experiences will be relatable to young Autistic readers. She stims frequently, providing reassurance that stimming is wonderful and there’s no reason to be worried. Although Harriet has many adventures, she likes familiarity and follows a regular routine. She experiences anxiety and sensory sensitivities, and we are shown how her needs are accommodated and supported. Dogs, of course, are clearly Harriet’s special interest. There is so much joy in Harriet’s life, which comes from her intense experiences and passions.
Education is gently provided by demonstrating that autism is an ordinary part of Harriet’s life. Her family and the townsfolk of Labrador accept her just the way she is, and she is surrounded by peers at her school for Autistic children. We learn about Harriet’s Autistic features throughout the book in the same way we learn about her personality, her likes, and dislikes. While difficulties are touched on, autism is normalised through positive characterisation.
Harriet’s love of dogs is evident. She has immense respect for the rescue dogs, and has learnt how to care for them—Harriet even has her own tasks to complete at the rescue centre. Many children with a beloved pet in their lives will relate to the comfort and friendship these dogs provide Harriet. And in true Autistic style (many Autistic people love to discuss their interests), Harriet shares fact sheets about the heroic dogs in the story as well as a guide to rescuing dogs.
Action abounds as we wonder how Harriet will utilise her superpowers and the rescue dogs to save the day. Sometimes clues are left to point us in the right direction, other times there are unexpected developments to keep us guessing. Each adventure is neatly wrapped up before the next begins.
The layout is well presented. Fonts occasionally vary in size to emphasise different aspects of the text—magic, intense feelings, and issues of importance to Harriet. Combined with the short chapter lengths, this is very effective in breaking the text into manageable sections and adding excitement. Readers are told exactly how intense Harriet is feeling by the size of the text, which is enhanced by Sophie Beer’s delightful black and white illustrations of key scenes.
Everything about Harriet Hound is loveable; the book was pleasure to read. As an Autistic adult, I wish there were protagonists like Harriet when I was younger. It would have made a measurable difference to my self-esteem and confidence to see stories about children who think and act in a similar manner to myself, especially children like Harriet who are comfortable with their own identity. I applaud the affirming depiction of autism which illustrates that being Autistic is simply a different way of being, not something that is wrong or to be ashamed of.
I highly recommend Harriet Hound for young readers, around 6 to 10 years of age. This will also be a fantastic story to read with non-Autistic children—and even adults—to compassionately introduce autism and some of the differences they may find between themselves and Autistic children. Harriet Hound will be a treasured addition to libraries, including school, public, and home collections.
Thank you to Kate Foster for the advanced review copy of Harriet Hound. All opinions in this review are my own and have not been solicited from the author.
January 17, 2025
Was so cute love r reading ti my dogs and listening to the audio
May 19, 2025
My kids and I are all big fans of Kate Foster's books and my son Oscar, 8, loves Harriet Hound the best.
In Harriet Hound, Harriet is autistic and on her eighth birthday, Grandma gifts her a tiny book that provides instructions for her to turn into a superhero. Harriet must recite the special mantra and touch the image of the dog on her magic pyjamas and both her and the dog become heroes, able to fix problems and solve mysteries.
It is a fun story that celebrates neurodiverse kids, dogs and helping others and Oscar gives it a double thumbs up.
In Harriet Hound, Harriet is autistic and on her eighth birthday, Grandma gifts her a tiny book that provides instructions for her to turn into a superhero. Harriet must recite the special mantra and touch the image of the dog on her magic pyjamas and both her and the dog become heroes, able to fix problems and solve mysteries.
It is a fun story that celebrates neurodiverse kids, dogs and helping others and Oscar gives it a double thumbs up.
April 24, 2023
I love reading Kate Foster’s books, she writes such heart-warming and empathy-filled stories that address real issues that many children (and adults) have to deal with. Her latest read is pitched at a younger audience than Paws and The Bravest Word (one of my favourite reads of last year) so even more children can enjoy her storytelling.
Eight-year-old Harriet Hound is obsessed with dogs. This is a good thing as she and her family run a rescue shelter for dogs. Harriet also has a very big secret…a birthday gift from her nana has given her the power to summon the exact dog needed in any situation. She and her canine companions have been very busy lately, saving humans, animals, insects, bicycles and even a toilet.
The work of a superhero is never done though and trouble is always foot. Missing vegetables, a sudden storm at the wetlands, a looming carnival catastrophe… will Harriet be able to summon the perfect pooch to save the day…
A sprinkle of magic, a superhero in doggy pjs and a dog for every occasion are the stars in this paw-some tail. Foster writes of Harriet’s exciting life with bags of heart and a clear understating of autism that shines through in each of the three short stories. Young readers will thoroughly enjoy the different mysteries and the repetitive plot structure makes for a very enjoyable reading experience. I especially loved the delightful endings in each story that have one of the heroic hounds finding a forever home
Kind, caring and wildlife-loving Harriet is a fantastic character. The little girl, who never lets her autism stop her from doing things, loves life, and dogs, and has a wonderfully supportive family. Through her eyes, we are able to understand how she experiences the world and how she goes about navigating everyday situations. Harriet shares the importance of touch and her love for soft and silky things, her dislike of talking too much and looking people directly in the eye. Familiar things are ok, unfamiliar things are carefully planned and talked about in advance, her noise-cancelling headphones, pug-head stress ball and her stimming actions, such as the clicking of fingers, help to keep her calm, and she often talks in threes.
Children need to see themselves in books and anyone who has autism will be delighted by Harriet. For others, it is a chance to listen to or read a story that explores what it is like in the shoes of a child who experiences challenges in life that are different to their own and to believe what it is like even when it doesn’t match their own experiences.
Sophie Beer’s illustrations bring the delightful doggies and their personalities to life and we get to meet a whole host of the dogs at the rescue home thanks to ‘Harriet’s Fact Sheets’ that feature portraits of the dogs and some facts about each of them. Do I have a favourite? I have always had a soft spot for a Retriever - friendly, intelligent and adores their owner.
A must read for animal lovers and doggie owners. Gets four paws up from me!
Recommended for 6+.
With huge thanks to Kate Foster and Walker for the very special paw-printed copy I received in exchange for an honest review.
Eight-year-old Harriet Hound is obsessed with dogs. This is a good thing as she and her family run a rescue shelter for dogs. Harriet also has a very big secret…a birthday gift from her nana has given her the power to summon the exact dog needed in any situation. She and her canine companions have been very busy lately, saving humans, animals, insects, bicycles and even a toilet.
The work of a superhero is never done though and trouble is always foot. Missing vegetables, a sudden storm at the wetlands, a looming carnival catastrophe… will Harriet be able to summon the perfect pooch to save the day…
A sprinkle of magic, a superhero in doggy pjs and a dog for every occasion are the stars in this paw-some tail. Foster writes of Harriet’s exciting life with bags of heart and a clear understating of autism that shines through in each of the three short stories. Young readers will thoroughly enjoy the different mysteries and the repetitive plot structure makes for a very enjoyable reading experience. I especially loved the delightful endings in each story that have one of the heroic hounds finding a forever home
Kind, caring and wildlife-loving Harriet is a fantastic character. The little girl, who never lets her autism stop her from doing things, loves life, and dogs, and has a wonderfully supportive family. Through her eyes, we are able to understand how she experiences the world and how she goes about navigating everyday situations. Harriet shares the importance of touch and her love for soft and silky things, her dislike of talking too much and looking people directly in the eye. Familiar things are ok, unfamiliar things are carefully planned and talked about in advance, her noise-cancelling headphones, pug-head stress ball and her stimming actions, such as the clicking of fingers, help to keep her calm, and she often talks in threes.
Children need to see themselves in books and anyone who has autism will be delighted by Harriet. For others, it is a chance to listen to or read a story that explores what it is like in the shoes of a child who experiences challenges in life that are different to their own and to believe what it is like even when it doesn’t match their own experiences.
Sophie Beer’s illustrations bring the delightful doggies and their personalities to life and we get to meet a whole host of the dogs at the rescue home thanks to ‘Harriet’s Fact Sheets’ that feature portraits of the dogs and some facts about each of them. Do I have a favourite? I have always had a soft spot for a Retriever - friendly, intelligent and adores their owner.
A must read for animal lovers and doggie owners. Gets four paws up from me!
Recommended for 6+.
With huge thanks to Kate Foster and Walker for the very special paw-printed copy I received in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2025
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Harriet who is autistic and vegan, lives in Labrador, Australia with her parents and older brother Hugo. The family runs a rescue shelter that was started by the grandparents, who are off traveling. Before they took off on their adventures, Nana left Harriet a package and a note. Nana is a superhero, and passes her powers on to Harriet, along with a pair of silky pajamas printed with the pictures of dogs in the shelter. Her grandmother tells her that she will be able to help people with her magic, and they won't even see her because she will surrounded by a "magical rainbow bubble of pure love".
Harriet embarks on three different adventures. Each adventure ends with two pages describing different breeds of dogs, and there is a guide to help young readers rescue dogs at the end of the book.
In The Vanishing Vegetables, Harriet and the dogs must figure out who is taking the produce from the garden, and try to stop them. In The Sudden Storm, Harriet and her classmates from the Open Schoo (who are also autistic) have a field trip to the local wetlands and run into bad weather. In Carnival Catastrophe, Harriet is very excited about the local winter carnival, but when Mr. Hayashi has trouble with his ice cream van, the success of the festival is in jeopardy. In each case, Harriet summons rescue dogs and has them help her fix the situations. There are plenty of magical elements to the stories, like a vegan ice cream rainbow! Sometimes Harriet struggles with certain situations, but manages to cope.
In addition to charming illusrations, there are different sizes of font to make the text really pop. Paw prints are scattered across the pages for added interest.
While there are a large number of middle grade books with characters who must deal with a variety of health challenges, there are relatively fewer beginning chapter books. It is important for readers to meet characters who might not face the world in exactly the same way as they do. Readers who found the main characters struggles with arthritis in Winston's Wednesday and Woof and found Bat's experiences in Arnold's A Boy Called Bat interesting will find looking at the world through Harriet's eyes interesting and informative.
Harriet who is autistic and vegan, lives in Labrador, Australia with her parents and older brother Hugo. The family runs a rescue shelter that was started by the grandparents, who are off traveling. Before they took off on their adventures, Nana left Harriet a package and a note. Nana is a superhero, and passes her powers on to Harriet, along with a pair of silky pajamas printed with the pictures of dogs in the shelter. Her grandmother tells her that she will be able to help people with her magic, and they won't even see her because she will surrounded by a "magical rainbow bubble of pure love".
Harriet embarks on three different adventures. Each adventure ends with two pages describing different breeds of dogs, and there is a guide to help young readers rescue dogs at the end of the book.
In The Vanishing Vegetables, Harriet and the dogs must figure out who is taking the produce from the garden, and try to stop them. In The Sudden Storm, Harriet and her classmates from the Open Schoo (who are also autistic) have a field trip to the local wetlands and run into bad weather. In Carnival Catastrophe, Harriet is very excited about the local winter carnival, but when Mr. Hayashi has trouble with his ice cream van, the success of the festival is in jeopardy. In each case, Harriet summons rescue dogs and has them help her fix the situations. There are plenty of magical elements to the stories, like a vegan ice cream rainbow! Sometimes Harriet struggles with certain situations, but manages to cope.
In addition to charming illusrations, there are different sizes of font to make the text really pop. Paw prints are scattered across the pages for added interest.
While there are a large number of middle grade books with characters who must deal with a variety of health challenges, there are relatively fewer beginning chapter books. It is important for readers to meet characters who might not face the world in exactly the same way as they do. Readers who found the main characters struggles with arthritis in Winston's Wednesday and Woof and found Bat's experiences in Arnold's A Boy Called Bat interesting will find looking at the world through Harriet's eyes interesting and informative.
April 30, 2023
Oh this is just so so wonderful to read. A joyous children’s chapter book full of magic and amazingly helpful rescue hounds and Harriet – an 8 year old magical superhero who is able to continually save the day.
The pictures throughout this chapter book are stunning and fun, and really suit the wonderful writing style with text that will just grab the attention of younger readers.
Harriet is autistic and a magical superhero. She is able to save the day with her magical powers and her super helpful four legged friends. Harriet stims, she wears headphones and has sensitivity to loud sounds and lights and has a need to be super prepared for new events and paths, but she is also incredibly brave, always thinking of how she can help others and is able to save the day time and time again. Harriet is a wonderful main character and I want to read more about her and her adventures. And I love that Harriet also helps her four legged friends find new families. Even though it makes her sad to lose them from the rescue shelter she knows they will be happy with their new found families and that their new found families will be happier too.
This is a terrific read for younger children who have autism, who have autistic friends they want to read about and understand a little more about or for families and the wider community to help them see into the extraordinary minds of such children. It is such a positive book. It’s also a terrific read for younger children who want a pet – there is some great advice about caring for pets and really thinking about the right animal traits that will suit families and their lifestyles. I loved every second of these magical tales. It is a great early reader for 6-10 year olds to read on their own as they develop and strengthen their reading skills or for younger ones to read together with their parents. I wish I had Harriet’s magic pajamas! I think this is a fabulous book and should be read by as many children as possible!
The pictures throughout this chapter book are stunning and fun, and really suit the wonderful writing style with text that will just grab the attention of younger readers.
Harriet is autistic and a magical superhero. She is able to save the day with her magical powers and her super helpful four legged friends. Harriet stims, she wears headphones and has sensitivity to loud sounds and lights and has a need to be super prepared for new events and paths, but she is also incredibly brave, always thinking of how she can help others and is able to save the day time and time again. Harriet is a wonderful main character and I want to read more about her and her adventures. And I love that Harriet also helps her four legged friends find new families. Even though it makes her sad to lose them from the rescue shelter she knows they will be happy with their new found families and that their new found families will be happier too.
This is a terrific read for younger children who have autism, who have autistic friends they want to read about and understand a little more about or for families and the wider community to help them see into the extraordinary minds of such children. It is such a positive book. It’s also a terrific read for younger children who want a pet – there is some great advice about caring for pets and really thinking about the right animal traits that will suit families and their lifestyles. I loved every second of these magical tales. It is a great early reader for 6-10 year olds to read on their own as they develop and strengthen their reading skills or for younger ones to read together with their parents. I wish I had Harriet’s magic pajamas! I think this is a fabulous book and should be read by as many children as possible!
March 28, 2023
I really love Harriet & children will too. I am delighted to see a main character who is autistic and the way her stimming, preferences about clothes, food, her headphones, sensitivity to noise & light are described in a very matter of fact way. Plus she has a beautiful kind heart and her actions are so helpful.
Also the progression of the story is very child reader friendly. Chapters are around 10 pages long plus the bold print when Harriet describes something makes each chapter zoom by.
I love it that her superpowers are her own secret & that other people don’t recognise the rescue dogs in action. I loved it that Miss Boyle decided to have Newton as her class therapy dog. Harriet’s Fact sheets are great too. Children will love Harriet.
With my long background in primary education, I wholeheartedly recommend this gorgeous book to parents, teachers and especially students. You could read it to children from about 6 to 7 years of age plus a confident reader of any age from 5 to 14 would thoroughly enjoy super power charged Harriet. I hope this is the start of a series.
Also the progression of the story is very child reader friendly. Chapters are around 10 pages long plus the bold print when Harriet describes something makes each chapter zoom by.
I love it that her superpowers are her own secret & that other people don’t recognise the rescue dogs in action. I loved it that Miss Boyle decided to have Newton as her class therapy dog. Harriet’s Fact sheets are great too. Children will love Harriet.
With my long background in primary education, I wholeheartedly recommend this gorgeous book to parents, teachers and especially students. You could read it to children from about 6 to 7 years of age plus a confident reader of any age from 5 to 14 would thoroughly enjoy super power charged Harriet. I hope this is the start of a series.
August 16, 2025
Harriet Hound is 8 years old, autistic, and has a secret superhero identity. Her grandparents gifted her a book with instructions turning her into a superhero. As a superhero, she's magical, invisible, and can even talk to dogs. She can summon dogs from her family's rescue by touching images of them on her magical pjs. There's 3 stories where Harriet gets to repeatedly use her superpowers to save the day. Harriet seems to be almost non-verbal, except when she's her superhero identity. I like the inclusion of the different dog breeds that come up in each story and the characteristics that caused them to be the ones that Harriet summoned. The whole book is told from Harriet's perspective, which I haven't seen a lot of for autistic kids' characters. She explains what's comfortable (i.e., familiar and/or things she's been prepared for), her stims, and how she goes about her daily life. While it's realistic for her autism, it felt a bit repetitive, as an adult reader. For fans of A Boy Called Bat.
January 31, 2024
Harriet Hound is eight years old. She’s a vegan, her favourite colour is brown, and she’s autistic. Harriet also has a HUGE secret … she’s a superhero! No one knows about Harriet’s superpowers, but she uses them to solve mysteries and problems in her neighbourhood. Her superpowers give her the ability to summon dogs from her family's rescue shelter every time there’s trouble afoot.
Harriet is endearing and likeable, her larger-than-life personality is emphasised for readers in oversized, bolded words sprinkled throughout the text. She models resilience, intelligence, and resourcefulness and this book offers not one but three super fun Harriet stories filled with doggy adventures and interesting dog facts too!
Themes: autism, family, mystery, superheros.
Harriet is endearing and likeable, her larger-than-life personality is emphasised for readers in oversized, bolded words sprinkled throughout the text. She models resilience, intelligence, and resourcefulness and this book offers not one but three super fun Harriet stories filled with doggy adventures and interesting dog facts too!
Themes: autism, family, mystery, superheros.
June 28, 2023
Loud, sassy and determined to right wrongs with her super (PJ-fuelled) powers, Harriet is a primary schooler who means business. Dog lovers will roll over with delight with this set of three action orientated 'tales' that feature plenty of dogs and scenarios for problem solving. The fact that each homeless hound not only saves the day with Harriet's help but also becomes 'saved' themselves massages the heart.
I found the repeated shouty typography jarring in parts but youngsters, especially the more reluctant readers among them, will no doubt find this sort of emphasis comforting and amusing.
I found the repeated shouty typography jarring in parts but youngsters, especially the more reluctant readers among them, will no doubt find this sort of emphasis comforting and amusing.
October 7, 2023
Harriet Hound is a book that brought me so much joy to read!
With bite sized stories to read all at once, or at different times, Harriet Hound sheds light on the beautiful relationships between children and pets and the importance of rescue dogs, whilst threading the power of a little superhero throughout!
Foster, once again, spotlights a main character with autism, celebrating her differences and showing just how important her skills are. Kate’s neurodivergent characters are a common theme throughout her books and allow readers to learn and celebrate whilst enjoying a wonderful story!
Perfectly suited for younger readers.
What problem will Harriet and her super rescue dogs solve next?
With bite sized stories to read all at once, or at different times, Harriet Hound sheds light on the beautiful relationships between children and pets and the importance of rescue dogs, whilst threading the power of a little superhero throughout!
Foster, once again, spotlights a main character with autism, celebrating her differences and showing just how important her skills are. Kate’s neurodivergent characters are a common theme throughout her books and allow readers to learn and celebrate whilst enjoying a wonderful story!
Perfectly suited for younger readers.
What problem will Harriet and her super rescue dogs solve next?
November 23, 2023
This book is
FUN
LOUD
UPLIFTING
I can think of so many kids this age who would revel in the world of
DOGS
MORE DOGS
EVEN MORE DOGS
that Kate has created and their adventures, solving puzzles and Harriet finding bright new futures for them with her
MAGIC
SUPER
AWESOME
powers!
Kate has made this such a fun read and that's really what children need, something that is fun that makes them want to read and come back to. The illustrations are absolutely marvellous too. A great read for all dog lovers. Lots of energy for the younger readers who'll probably appreciate the rhythmic and repetitive feel of the simple storytelling and Harriet's joy which seeps through the pages.
FUN
LOUD
UPLIFTING
I can think of so many kids this age who would revel in the world of
DOGS
MORE DOGS
EVEN MORE DOGS
that Kate has created and their adventures, solving puzzles and Harriet finding bright new futures for them with her
MAGIC
SUPER
AWESOME
powers!
Kate has made this such a fun read and that's really what children need, something that is fun that makes them want to read and come back to. The illustrations are absolutely marvellous too. A great read for all dog lovers. Lots of energy for the younger readers who'll probably appreciate the rhythmic and repetitive feel of the simple storytelling and Harriet's joy which seeps through the pages.
June 14, 2025
Short contemporary fiction/fantasy for ages 6-9. The main character is autistic, and I think the book is written with aspects good for autisum--but I don't know enough about it. The fantasy is that she has magical superhero powers given to her by her grandma. There are large words in groups of 3 to indicate excitement or something awesome or terrible, lots of repetition, and big doses of love and respect. Fun dog facts and lively illustrations. It's good to read a book where the needs of a neurodiverse person are met and carefully maintained. I would love to talk to a child from the target audience, after reading this.
March 10, 2024
I really liked the idea behind this book. I have a daughter with ASD and I saw a lot of her in Harriet, however I felt like I was reading a cross between a contemporary story about dealing with autism and an episode of PJ Mask, and I had trouble getting past this.
I think any child that is bridging into junior fiction from something like an early reader such as Billy B Brown would enjoy this book, as it is actually a collection of 3 books (which do get better as your read) and it would be awesome if you could magically summon dogs.
CBCA notables 2024 - Young Readers
I think any child that is bridging into junior fiction from something like an early reader such as Billy B Brown would enjoy this book, as it is actually a collection of 3 books (which do get better as your read) and it would be awesome if you could magically summon dogs.
CBCA notables 2024 - Young Readers
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May 10, 2025There is a lot happening in this book: rescue dogs, autism, veganism, Australian geography and animals, dog breeds, and magic pajamas that call the dogs from the shelter. I like that it is actually three stories each with a few chapters. If your child loves dogs and would find all these details great fun, this book would work. If your child is easily distracted, they may loose track of what is happening.
April 23, 2025
Very cute book about an autistic girl and a dog pound. She uses her superpowers to have the rescue dogs help situations in need (and then get adopted!). There is definitely a supernatural element to this story (which I didn't expect) but it is very cute. There are a lot of lists and big written words that break up the pages, making this easier to read. I'd recommend it for a 2nd/3rd grader.
May 31, 2023
I read this book for my bookclub. One day Harriet turned into a superhero with dogs on her clothes that she could press and say their name and that dog would come to her. This book has three short stories in it and I enjoyed reading it.
May 9, 2023
My daughter adored this book! Full of fun adventures and lots of gorgeous dogs, this page turner features a bold heroine and is super engaging. We loved it!
September 30, 2023
Gorgeous book with two stories. Neurodiverse Harriet has a special power and chooses the correct dog type to save the day.
January 10, 2024
A gorgeous read filled with fun, mystery, a little bit of magic and plenty of dogs!
July 22, 2025
Very sweet- a great little read for 2-3 graders who love dogs.
September 1, 2025
DNF for Harriet Hound. Wasn't quite holding my interest, but would probably be enjoyed a lot by elementary schoolers who love dogs. Always nice to see another autistic character.
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