The White Hare

Gr 7–10—After Robbie's mom dies, his dad remarries, and they move to an English county village. His new friend Mags is gifted with second sight; she can see a magical white hare. The hare is Mags's friend, Fran, who committed suicide after her romantic relationship with Tommy ended. Fran has returned as the hare, seeking revenge against Tommy. Eventually, Robbie can see the hare, too. It leads him on a path enmeshed in legend, mystery, and village secrets which effectively create an unsettling atmosphere. Alice, another of Robbie's new friends, is one of three black students in the school. She becomes the target of bullies because of her race, and Robbie comes to her rescue. Ultimately, this is a story about the brutality of love lost, repentance, and vengeance. Almost every character experiences heartbreak through death, divorce, or a breakup. Robbie's response to losing his mother is well developed, but this is not the case for secondary characters. This lack of emotional intimacy fails to tug at the heart strings and build a connection to the characters. American readers unfamiliar with the legend (that is never fully explained) and Briticisms, coupled with a sometimes jolting writing style and underdeveloped motives of some secondary characters, creates confusion and disrupts the flow of the story. Because teens will not find a satisfying explanation of the legend, it may prevent them from full engagement.