The premise of this book is really simple. Chloe, mainly a city girl who travels widely, is confined by lockdown at her barn conversion in a rural location. She hears a dog barking and a man shouting and goes out to see what is happening. Nothing is to be seen so she heads out for a walk along a narrow country lane. She finds a tiny creature on that track and the word "leveret" comes to her mind. She examines it without touching and wonders what to do. She realises that touching it or moving it may well prevent the mother from finding it or caring for it and so she walks on. Four hours later she comes back and finds the leveret still there. After considerable debate she decides taking it home is really the only option. Contacting a local conservationist for advice she realises she has made an error of judgement and that hares do not survive in captivity and that its mother would now ignore it.

However she feels she cannot now do nothing so she tries to find out how she might look after it. It weighs less than an apple. Her sister (a farmer) suggests that she might try a milk substitute without lactose and drops some off for her. So begins a remarkable story. The book follows her experience of trying to look after the leveret. While there is a little more information about what happened in the book blurb I personally feel that coming to this book with relatively little information makes for a richer experience for the reader.

Because of that my comments about this book will be rather more general in nature. To me it is a book that looks at two journeys. One is the hare's progress and, in many ways, it simply lives its life. For me the author's journey is at least as interesting. This is someone who has become a city person - her usual habitat is far from that of a hare. And yet she starts to adjust to the hare. As she becomes far closer to the land and wildlife around her she finds a deeper harmony with the energies of the earth. She also realises that she is very fortunate to be able to observe all that she does. I have found this rare and it makes for a rare book in my mind.

I think this book is fascinating simply from a naturalist's perspective. Chloe becomes a very good observer. She is also a very good writer. This means that we get some wonderful descriptions of wildlife and the rural environment generally as well as superb detail on hares. She is an accomplished researcher and is determined to try and find out more about hares. The information that she finds and sometime uses is very varied. For example looking at a 250 year old poem about hares gives her some useful clues about possible diets (and some of the items were very acceptable to the hare!). In general though there is so little information about hares even in the wild and, based on Chloe's observations, some of the information out there seems unlikely at best.

Ultimately this is one of the best books I have read in many years. There is a simplicity here which appeals. I also found it a very tranquil read (though not all the time!). It is powerful, beautiful and will speak deeply to some of us. I'm grateful to Chloe for this book.

Over the years, there have been some classic autobiographical books that have celebrated the human connection with the natural world - in particular with different animals. Classics that spring to mind include : Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell; H for Hawk for Helen Mac Donald anreven My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.

Raising Hare deserves to join this illustrious group. Chloe Dalton has written a highly engaging and beautiful memoir/chronicle about her experiences of rescuing a baby hare /leveret and the ensuing years of their connection.

Abandoned by its mother on a footpath during Covid lockdown Chloe discovers this tiny creature - a new born hare- should she leave it or try to save it from an imminent death?

Decision made, the leveret is taken home but with constant understanding that this is a wild creature not to be domesticated; what follows is the moving story of Chloe's quest to help the hare, enable it to return to the wild and the incredible and mysterious connection that develops between the two of them. The Hare continues to live close to the house and take refuge in a most unexpected way.

Chloe Dalton shines a life on this enigmatic and rarely seen animal and uncovers through her observations the habits and wonderful qualities of Hare as it grows older and its offspring. The story also echoes the seasonal changes and its impact on wildlife as well as exploring the human impact of mass agriculture upon the natural world.

Told over three years, Raising Hare is a truly moving and wonderful read. This is a story about a unique bond -written with warmth - not sentimental- and compassion for an animal that is in decline as it has no legal protection. It also shows how the human /natural environment connection and just slowing down gives an improved quality of life and sense of being.

Maybe Chloe Dalton's book could change perception and highlight the need to save this beautiful creature.

Wildlife read of 2024... superb