Harriet the Spy

Harriet M. Welsch is a spy and is rarely ever seen without her notebook. She is almost always hiding in a bush or standing behind a door listening to what people are saying. I've always treasured this book and it is absolutely fabulous as I have said before. This story deserves its newbery medal, and completely deserves a rating a of five stars. Alas words can not describe it's greatness and therefore you must read it yourself.

Harriet's world filled my lonely life with friends and laughter. I was never so happy than when I was reading this wonderful story, and continue to reread it often. Harriet provided my over-curious, precocious nature with a confidante and a kindred spirit. Fitzhugh's perfectly brilliant and canny take on the trials of adolescence remains timely and captivating, from her vivid descriptions of Sport and his father, the DeiSanti family, Little Joe Curry, and Mr. Waldenstein to her poignant portrayal of Harriet and Ole Golly's farewell scene. One of the best parts of the book is when Harriet and Ole Golly are reciting Lewis Carroll "...and why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings." I will continue to treasure and guard my copy of this book, and whenever I feel like I'm starting to "grow up", I read it, and of course, The Long Secret. The menstruation discussion between Janie, Beth Ellen and Harriet continues to make me laugh until I cry.

This is one of the few books I completely and clearly remember from my childhood. I grew up in apartments so I think I really got into the spying on your neighbors bit...however, none of my neighbors were as exciting as Harriet's! I also liked to journal. I think Harriet is a character the average kid can relate to--she's not Miss Popular nor is she at the bottom of the social heap either. She has not-so conventional people that love her and she learns a valuable lesson. Go out and get this book for any pre-teen girl or for yourself!

Harriet was a good companion since I didn't have that many friends at the time. I read it for Battle of the Books when I was in the fourth grade. She was this kid that you could cling to. She gave me lots of confidence because she wasn't afraid to speak out and be eccentric. I don't think I could have survived the fourth grade. This book is an extremely good one so buy it

If children's literature was truly given its due, this would go down as one of the Great American Novels. A zany adventure for kids and a brilliant social satire for grown-ups, this novel encaptures the rites of childhood and the life of the upper-class in Kennedy Era New York City. But it for the kids, but be sure to sneak a read for yourself.

When I was in the the 3rd grade, my teacher read a variety of books to us in class, one of which being Harriet The Spy. I can honestly say it changed my life. I was new in this class (I arrived in March of that year, 1990) and felt very lonely. Harriet's alienation from her classmates was something I could relate to. I loved the book then and I love it now. It was first read to me ten years ago (almost to the day) and I decided to become a writer after experiencing the book (way back in 3rd grade). I love this book and The Long Secret. Harriet The Spy deals almost exclusively with Harriet and her emotions while The Long Secret focuses a bit more on Beth Ellen and her perceptions of the world (including those of Harriet, which are certainly interesting). I love these books. I used to spy on my neighbors all the time when I was a kid and keep spy notebooks. I'd recommend Harriet The Spy and The Long Secret to anyone since they're kids books that literally any age group can enjoy.

This is my very favorite book of all time! I read this in fourth grade, and again last summer, and it never gets old! I am now in seventh grade an I have a book report due on it. This is one scool paper that I don't mind researching, typing, reading, or doing. I recommend this book to anyone of any age and any interest. A great book over all for everybody!!!!!!!!

This is a cute story for young readers who love to read books. I read it when I was little and now I am 14 and I still love it !! Harriet the spy is a determined little girl with many cases and stories who keeps you on the edge of your seat never failing to find out what happens next !! I strongly recommend young readers to read this or with your parents !!

Awesome book! I read it and gave it to my ten year old. Great female character who does occasionally act up and act a little nasty, but she is also working through issues in her life. I like my characters a little rough around the edges. It also highlights the importance of educating yourself. Her mentor could not be better. If you want to encourage your daughter to think for herself and be her own person, this is the book for her.

I don't remember how old I was when I first read Harriet the Spy, but I read it and read it and read it. Reading it now with my eight-year-old daughter, I am reminded of what a strong influence this book had on me. I tried to spy like Harriet, and got a stern talking to from my mother not to listen at phones. I ate tomato sandwiches, and occasionally still do! I started writing in notebooks from age 12 onwards. But most of all, I recognized a kindred spirit - a child who was not always kind, felt things deeply, and had plans for the future. I'm sure there are parents who will be put off by Harriet's self-absorbtion, but remember, she's 11! And this book is chock full of life lessons: actions have consequences being chief among them.
Plus, you and your child will laugh together!

Harriet is a (sort of) honest girl who writes her private thoughts about everyone in her secret notebook. She doesn't have any problems until she loses the notebook and her classmates find it and read everything she wrote about them. I think that this is a good book, but some of the things that happen aren't very realistic.

I really like this book! I actually saw the movie first, but I still love the book. It tells the tale of something that could really happen in a sith grader's (like me) life. I even tried to spy and am still keeping a notebook. Harriet inspired me a lot because I love writing too. I recomend this book to anyone!

You will not be able to put this book down because the plot is so breathtaking. You will feel like you're in Harriet's position. Sometimes I felt that I was the character in the book.

Harriet was running to the river, and she dropped her notebook and she did not realize it. Her friends picked it up and started reading it. They saw the parts written about them. They formed a Non Spy Club and they pulled nasty pranks on Harriet. Even her best friend, Sport, was pulling the same nasty pranks as the rest of her friends. Harriet goes to a therapist person to try to get Harriet to stop writing in her notebook. The therapy works a little but she still manages to write in her notebook even though her mom hid it somewhere in her house. Harriet found it and wrote in it still.

I first read an excerpt of Lewis Carroll's poem in this delightful book. This is one of those books that I remember well. Having always read voraciously, I would greedily "eat up" any book that came across my path. Unfortunately, the quantity of what I read as a child has vastly overshadowed the quality of the material. A lot of kid's books are pure are not very good. I don't remember all of the books that I read, but I remember THIS one. I got a lot of pleasure from reading this book over and over again from the age of about 8 on up. It is my happy privilege to be able to allow my 8 year old daughter to experience the same feeling as she discovers dumbwaiters, notebooks, and friends. I hope she likes it!

This book is well writen, and is highly enjoyeble! I REALLY recomend this book for every kid. It is about a young girl, who takes her self as a spy. She writes EVERY THING in her note book. But what happens if her friends get their hands on her note book, and see EVERY THING what she thinks about them!

All I can say is at 35 yrs old I STILL remember this being one of the books I will always remember...well, actually, the series.....I loved these books, ate tomato sandwiches when I was 13 and kept a notebook cuz I was a Harriet wanna be....

Definitely recommend them for any pre-teen....

If you love a book in which the main character learns his or her lesson after initially engaging in bad behavior, you won't like this one. Harriet "M" Welch, an imaginative but spoiled, selfish, aspiring eleven-year-old writer, spends hours spying on her neighbors and friends and writing the meanest possible things about them in her notebook. Examples include, (p 16) "This fat lady [her nanny's mother] wasn't very bright," (p 28) "dumb," (p 30) "fatter," "uglier," "could use some braces on her teeth," "pale," "thin," "weak," (p 32) "...[the dean of the school] has buck teeth, thin hair, feet like skis, and a very long hanging stomach...," (p 48) "...the fattest thing I ever saw."

The climax of the story takes place when a classmate finds the rotten fruits of Harriet's labors, the secret spy notebook, and shares the content with those who've been belittled. Not unexpectedly, her classmates and former best friends wage a campaign against the badly behaving brat, form an anti-spy club, and try to make her life difficult. At this point, most readers would expect the girl to provide a heartfelt apology and attempt to make things right with those she's wronged. Instead, Harriet plans (and records) potential vengeful acts, which include, (p 242), "put [a frog] in [Marion's) desk," "cut [Laura's hair] off," "tell [Carrie's] father something mean about her which is a lie," "hit [Beth Ellen]," "break [Janie's] little finger," and "call [her good friend Sport] a sissy." Inexplicably, after all this, her teacher chooses to change the (admittedly unfair) policy of choosing the "sixth grade page" editor, selecting Harriet for the job. In spite of all she's done, her classmates support the decision, and she continues her cruel ways, writing things like the following, (p 256), "She is a very stupid lady," (p 257), "Franca Dei Santi has one of the dumbest faces you could ever hope to see," and (p 290), "Jack Peters (Laura Peter's father) was stoned out of his mind at the Peters' party last Saturday night..." In the end, she provides the required "apology," that is, white lie, as required to set things straight with her classmates. Inside, though, she seems unchanged. The feeling I have reading this book about an extremely inconsiderate kid as a parent reminds me of how I felt reading Little House on the Prairie a couple of years ago, something better done when you are young. Better: The Clarice Bean series by Lauren Childs, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, and Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell.

This book is classic. I read it several years ago and it's still one of my favorite books. It really got me into writing...after reading it I got my own notebook, too! I've had one ever since.
This is really one of the GREATEST pre-teen books out there. It's realistic and WONDERFUL in every way. Everyone should read it...then read it's sequel, The Long Secret, and then Sport.

this book is excitiinig and shows alot of fellings.some times I think this book was made for me. this is my first book I've read that Luis has wrote.thats what I think about this book and I hope I will find more of his books . He has a great taste of writing .

I would recommend this book because I like it and just in case my friend is in the same situation it will help out. It was good because she kept going and never stoped. I will also show my friend the bookfor my friend could injoy it

I wasn't sure this book would stand up to what I remembered reading nearly 30 years ago, but it did. This is a classic for a reason; wonderful, real characters, a hilarious story, and life lessons that ring true today. I recommend this book to anyone & everyone. Long live Harriet the Spy!

So?
Since my first meeting of Harriet M. Welsch, future writer, present sixth grade spy, at eight, I don't think I've read a better book. Of course, this is no "War and Peace", no classic novel, but in my view, it was (and still is) one of the finest books out there for kids and adults, too. I've read it more than I can count since that first day, and even though my cover's been through too much and pages show the time's gone quickly since I picked up the once-shiny cover... I don't mind. It's just a part of my life. Make it yours!

"Harriet" was given to me by the author. I immersed myself in the book, and the well worn pages are a testiment to the many times I have read it. Harriet speaks the truth. She has the strong voice that I loved then, but even more now, of young girls who will not be kept down. Harriet and her friends defy stereotypes. I gave the book to my neices and nephews and took them to the movie. I even have the Harriet the Spy, spy kit. Guess my love for Harriet and Ole Golly is as timeless as the novel. Thanks Louise.

This book is about a child spy. The main character Harriet is in the sixth grade and always has a notebook. In her notebook she writes down everything that she see's and observes. Most of her entrys are about friends, enimies, techers and everyone on her spy route. One day something terrible happens. To find out what it is you should read the book.

Harriet the spy has a secret notebook which she fills with udderly honest jottings about her parents, her classmates and her neighbors. But when Harriet's notebook is found by her friends their anger causes an unecspected problem!!!!

the book was ok but the mc was horrid . she'd say stupid <and obnoxious> things in her "notebook" but the moment its gone shebecomes the worlds biggest jerk. <with 0 spoilers> i fear for humanity . j.top.

Harriet isn't charming, she's a spoiled bully who does horrible things to people. Not just verbal taunting, but she knocks people over and pinches them. I assumed she would learn her lesson at the end of the story, but she DOESN'T! She continues to write mean things about people and she doesn't recieve any consequences for her actions. This is not a good book for children.

Harriet the Spy totally helped to increase my intrest and love of writing in a journal. I now have my own hiding place and like to spy on people. I have many jounrnals and cherrish all of them. I love this book and there will always be room for HARRIET THE SPY on my bookshelf.
SOME TIME THE HARDEST THING IN LIFE IS MAKINGUP WITH FRIENDS.

Please,please do not read this book. The main character is a spoiled, mean, and dysfunctional child. Seriously. There are many points in his book where Harriet and her friends talk about murder and bombings. Her parents are no better. They are probably the most neglectful parents I have ever seen. I read this in public and I was almost screaming, "What is wrong with your child?! Harriet is in 6th grade and she doesn't know how to add!"
Also…that notebook of hers…what the flippin' hell. It's like her own personal Death Note or something. Look, Louise. Normal kids do not write in notebooks chock-full of hatred for other people. Normal kids don't cut off people's hair, put frogs in their desks, and creepily follow their classmates home. Oh, and one more thing. Normal kids don't not care about other people's feelings and they also don't stay home from school to stalk people.
Harriet-See a doctor.
Her parents-Die in a hole.
This book is going to get thrown in the time-space temporal vortex and that's final.

I so enjoyed this book.i'm 60 years old and had never read it.My daughter who is 31 recommended it due to it's 50th anniversary.
She had never read it either. It is fun story for all ages. It would be a good book t read aloud at school or home .

When my son was assigned this book as a school reading book in the fifth grade, I had never heard of it...but just seeing the title on the assignment sheet made it seem like it would be an interesting book. You can imagine my surprise when my son, who is an avid reader, said that he wanted the book deleted from the Kindle after reading only one chapter! I told him to stick it out and give it a chance, to which he replied that I should read it with him. The first few chapters were enough to give me a headache, but that was mainly because they never come out and tell the reader that "Ole Golly" is the live-in nanny and the grammar and dialectical speech just drove me insane ("Come on, chickens, and lets get us a hot cup of tea" is just one example).

What was even more disturbing to me, as a parent, especially in this age of bullying, kids committing suicide, school shootings and event bombings (the Boston Marathon bombing happened a month ago),was how the main character talks (writes) about people. Her words are pure hatred at times. One of Harriet's friends, Janie is even worse, talking about blowing people and places up! Here are just a few examples from the book:
"Hey Janie, if you were going to slit somebody's throat, wouldn't you do it in the dead of night"... Janie replies,"I'd poison them" then she goes on to say how the poison she could make would be untraceable. (Page 78)
"When I wake up in the morning I wish I were dead" (page 200)
"One day I am going to come in here with a vial and blow this place sky-high." (Page 154)

I understand that when this book was written, these types of things were not a reality like they are today. MAYBE there is a lesson here,that our words can hurt people, but Harriet NEVER apologizes individually to the classmates, opting to simply type a very vague paragraph in the class paper. All in all, while this book MAY have been a good reading choice in the sixties and seventies, it is simply not appropriate today. There are much better examples of literature that the students should be reading.

*** I noticed a review that complained about curse words. The only curse word used in the entire book is "damned" and it is used exactly one time. She does use the word "fink" and "finked" but those aren't curse words (to most people).

.

This is a great book that I really enjoyed, I couldn't put it down. I was always wondering what would happen next, and if Harriet could get herself out of her mess. She is the most fascinating character, and always gives you a good laugh.

Harriet the spy has a secret notebook which she fills with udderly honest jottings about her parents, her classmates and her neighbors. But when Harriet's notebook is found by her friends their anger causes an unecspected problem!!!!

the book was ok but the mc was horrid . she'd say stupid <and obnoxious> things in her "notebook" but the moment its gone shebecomes the worlds biggest jerk. <with 0 spoilers> i fear for humanity . j.top.

Harriet isn't charming, she's a spoiled bully who does horrible things to people. Not just verbal taunting, but she knocks people over and pinches them. I assumed she would learn her lesson at the end of the story, but she DOESN'T! She continues to write mean things about people and she doesn't recieve any consequences for her actions. This is not a good book for children.

Harriet the Spy totally helped to increase my intrest and love of writing in a journal. I now have my own hiding place and like to spy on people. I have many jounrnals and cherrish all of them. I love this book and there will always be room for HARRIET THE SPY on my bookshelf.
SOME TIME THE HARDEST THING IN LIFE IS MAKINGUP WITH FRIENDS.

Please,please do not read this book. The main character is a spoiled, mean, and dysfunctional child. Seriously. There are many points in his book where Harriet and her friends talk about murder and bombings. Her parents are no better. They are probably the most neglectful parents I have ever seen. I read this in public and I was almost screaming, "What is wrong with your child?! Harriet is in 6th grade and she doesn't know how to add!"
Also…that notebook of hers…what the flippin' hell. It's like her own personal Death Note or something. Look, Louise. Normal kids do not write in notebooks chock-full of hatred for other people. Normal kids don't cut off people's hair, put frogs in their desks, and creepily follow their classmates home. Oh, and one more thing. Normal kids don't not care about other people's feelings and they also don't stay home from school to stalk people.
Harriet-See a doctor.
Her parents-Die in a hole.
This book is going to get thrown in the time-space temporal vortex and that's final.

I so enjoyed this book.i'm 60 years old and had never read it.My daughter who is 31 recommended it due to it's 50th anniversary.
She had never read it either. It is fun story for all ages. It would be a good book t read aloud at school or home .

When my son was assigned this book as a school reading book in the fifth grade, I had never heard of it...but just seeing the title on the assignment sheet made it seem like it would be an interesting book. You can imagine my surprise when my son, who is an avid reader, said that he wanted the book deleted from the Kindle after reading only one chapter! I told him to stick it out and give it a chance, to which he replied that I should read it with him. The first few chapters were enough to give me a headache, but that was mainly because they never come out and tell the reader that "Ole Golly" is the live-in nanny and the grammar and dialectical speech just drove me insane ("Come on, chickens, and lets get us a hot cup of tea" is just one example).

What was even more disturbing to me, as a parent, especially in this age of bullying, kids committing suicide, school shootings and event bombings (the Boston Marathon bombing happened a month ago),was how the main character talks (writes) about people. Her words are pure hatred at times. One of Harriet's friends, Janie is even worse, talking about blowing people and places up! Here are just a few examples from the book:
"Hey Janie, if you were going to slit somebody's throat, wouldn't you do it in the dead of night"... Janie replies,"I'd poison them" then she goes on to say how the poison she could make would be untraceable. (Page 78)
"When I wake up in the morning I wish I were dead" (page 200)
"One day I am going to come in here with a vial and blow this place sky-high." (Page 154)

I understand that when this book was written, these types of things were not a reality like they are today. MAYBE there is a lesson here,that our words can hurt people, but Harriet NEVER apologizes individually to the classmates, opting to simply type a very vague paragraph in the class paper. All in all, while this book MAY have been a good reading choice in the sixties and seventies, it is simply not appropriate today. There are much better examples of literature that the students should be reading.

*** I noticed a review that complained about curse words. The only curse word used in the entire book is "damned" and it is used exactly one time. She does use the word "fink" and "finked" but those aren't curse words (to most people).

.

This is a great book that I really enjoyed, I couldn't put it down. I was always wondering what would happen next, and if Harriet could get herself out of her mess. She is the most fascinating character, and always gives you a good laugh.

This book is a pretty good book. Although it would have been a lot better if I was in the fifth grade but since I'm not it seemed very little kiddish. The actual story was pretty interesting beside the fact that little kids these days don't worry about who did what and when. They care mostly about having fun and growing up with their friends.

This is a good book.
Lots of people in the world should read this book called Harriet the spy.
To be an owner of this book you can download it on a kindle and probably other apps and things or buy it.

Harriet might be a base, spoiled girl, I don't know. The great thing about the book is that it's written from a spoiled girl's viewpoint. Not many books are like that. Lots of kids probably feel hatred and want to hurt people, just like Harriet does. They like her just because she's so bad.

I recommend this book to sixth and seventh graders. This was a good interesting book but says some naughty words that is why I recommend it for middle schoolers. I also think this book is to innapropo for fourth grade maybe even fifth graders. This book is to innapropo for younger ones and to easy for older people.

This is a book ostensibly written for kids, but it's really the kind of book that adults read and love and only THINK that kids like. I read it as a child and thought that the characters were uniformly unlikeable (except for Ole Golly, my hero) and the situations unpleasant. As an adult, I enjoyed it, but I'm ready now for more spicy foods. This is like a very hot Bloody Mary, and as a child I was more interested in pina coladas. Does that make sense?

No matter how many times I've read Harriet the Spy, it keeps getting better and better every time. It's the most entertaining children's book of all time, and I strongly recommend it to everyone. Children and adults alike will wish Harriet was a real person. I know I do!

Harriet is not a nice little girl. She seems to have some serious problems, most of them probably having to do with the fact that her parents don't seem to know how to raise a child--they seem to either ignore her or smother her.

However, the plot, although full of rather unpleasant events and attitudes, is realistic. People do behave that way, and talk that way, and to try to wrap your child up in a cocoon where they are insulated from everything negative and disagreeable is not a good idea. The child will, sooner or later, encounter people or events like this in real life, and having first done so in fiction s/he will be forearmed. I wouldn't advise feeding a child a literary diet only of this sort of story, but as a part of a balanced literary diet, it is certainly worthwhile.

This is the best book in the whole cosmos! I think that schools should make chlidren read it, Newberry winner or not! This book brings out the importance of writing our feelings. After reading this, I started my own spy route ( every kid should have one) !

I LOVED reading Harriet the spy!!!! The prop. wuz im one of those people who get ideas from books.So I have 3 notebooks

I started this year. I took the first one 2 skool and my

teacher took it @ study hall. I HAD SORTA MEAN THINGS IN MY NOTEBOOK!!! and SHE READ THEM ALLL!!!!!!!!!!!! And wuz VERY

mad @ me. I`m gonna start a notebook nxt year or summer :)))

I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. I listened to this with 2 of my daughters, and we were all a little disappointed. There are definitely some funny and amusing parts. But, I was bothered by the fact that Harriet really was very critical of others, and so self-centered. I thought by the end of the book she would change, but she really doesn't. . . not much anyway.

The first thing I'll say is, PLEASE DON'T READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is not good for children because the main character is a spoiled little brat that writes down nasty things about other people, even her friends, and when they find out about it, they obviously hate her. She throws pencils at other people's faces, she trips and pinches people, she bullies them about family issues, etc... Also, here's the worst part. SHE DOESN'T GET PUNISHED. This may make your child think, "Sweet! I can be mean to people and nobody will say anything about it." which I know that you do not want. All in all, horrible book, don't even bother borrowing.

Here's another book from four decades ago that doesn't hold up well compared to today's superior children's books. I was yearning for way more action. And definitely more wackiness. There are a few wacky and clever happenstances yet I wanted more of that and less of Harriet sitting around thinking, complaining and writing, thinking, writing and complaining. The first half of the book was okay, but after that I lost interest. Harriet was not interesting enough, for me anyway, to care about what happened to her. The pages got harder and harder to turn as the book went on.

This is a work of the early 1960s when many people felt suppressed and angry. That anger, for some, turned into selfishness. This attitude found its way into Harriet. She is a selfish and angry brat. (Whether the author was angry or just commenting on society at the time, I don't know.)

I can only guess that the book's comment on society at the time is what won it the acclaim that it has gotten over the years. For children and adults of 1964, perhaps it was a groundbreaking, gutsy read. But today, it's just a story of an angry, self-centered child that is not very interesting nor exciting to read.

this book, supposedly for kids as young as 8, references divorced parents who live less than ideal lifestyles, and exposes the heroine of this book to less than ideal characters. now, I am not stupid, I know that 8 year olds do have divorced parents, for example, but I really don't find this an appropriate book for an 8 year old. for some reason--silly me!--I got the impression this was sort of a Beverly Cleary type novel for kids, when clearly, it isn't. sketch in the book of a 40 year old with her boobs practically falling out of her negligee, that is NOT appropriate in a book for 8 year olds! mentally unstable parent of the live-in nanny (nurse, she is referred as), that is NOT appropriate in a book for 8 year olds! I stopped reading this book to my son, and am thankful that he still likes me to read aloud to him rather than having him read this book on his own and not being aware of this stuff.

skip this book if you are a decent parent/.

I LOVE to spy, and so does Harriet in the book. This is an extreamly cool book. If you're a spy and a girl, this is a must-read. The movie is also very good, but not as good as the book. You gotta read it!

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This book reminds me of the days when I used to work for good old fidel, destabilizing governments, and being an all around bad guy.
Great book, I know that Trotsky and Lenin are also big fans of this highly intellectual and insightful book.

Harriet the Spy is terrible. It's full of terrible ideas and horrible thoughts to put in a child's mind. I stopped reading it to my 7 year old, and now I'm going to recycle my copy.
Quotes: "I'll be damned if I go to dancing school." (p. 83.); "Harry, that maniac will kill us all...come here, she's blown up the house!" (p. 82.); "I wonder if I will get any murder cases. I would have to carry a gun and follow people..." (p. 77.); "If they had a baby it would laugh in its head all the time so it's a good thing they don't. Also it might not be perfect. Then they would have to kill it." (p. 68.)
Seriously, I'm not making these up, they're actual quotes. This book is garbage. I am a book lover - and this one's going in the recycling bin. It's that bad.

The most negative children's book that we have ever read. My children (then 7 and 9) were shocked about all the mean thoughts. We listened to the CD - spoken out loud it was even worse. It was too painful to finish. We were able to reflect about the importance of watching your thoughts that become words and then actions, and about not judging others, and what negative thoughts do to your spirit and soul, and your relationships. This book might be food for thought for a discussion among parents, but the content is so outspoken negative, mean, and awful, that I don't think it's suitable for children.

From the many reviews here it seems this is a love-it-or-hate-it book. My kids, who have always loved to read, read it in elementary school 10 or 12 years ago and did not enjoy it. Having recently read it myself, I now understand why. There is no warmth here. So much of the book seems to be social commentary specific to a particular time and place and really aimed at adults, not children. Harriet is an obnoxious kid raised by oblivious, absentee parents and a strange nanny. Referred to inexplicably as Ole Golly, the nanny, the only real guiding force in Harriet's life since birth, leaves when Harriet is 11 with hardly a backward glance. She tells Harriet, basically, to get over it. Of course Harriet falls apart and acts out, desperately needing love and attention. But I admit that she is so unlikable that when her angry classmates dump ink all over her, I was cheering them on. The other children in the book provide the only consequences Harriet receives for her horrible behavior. Considering her actions at school (including whacking off another girl's hair and writing commentary about her friends' parents for the school newspaper, which unbelievably, actually gets printed) the lack of backlash from other parents makes no sense at all. Harriet learns absolutely nothing over the course of the book, except that she can do whatever she wants and in the end, get away with it. I honestly do not see the appeal of this book.

When I read this book I thought it was a waist of time. I wish I had stopped reading it as soon as I got bored. first of all harriet was rotten
and second of all
at some point every one else became rotten. I almost died of boredom. I was humiliated to say I read harriet the spy, in fact that was the worst book I ever read.

Harriet the spy is a horrible book. I read the first half and exactly 0 interesting things happened. Her nurse is fired. She is in a play. She likes spying on people and writes everything down in a notebook. Harriet's voice is childish and sassy-sounding. There is no voice in it but Harriet's, which gave me a headache. There's nothing that would make a reader care the least bit, and I even began to hate Harriet. Life, life, life. All Harriet deals with is life, which we all know about. She handles everything like a preschooler,and lacks a satisfying character.This book is not worth the paper it is written on. I didn't like this book one bit!

I had high hopes for Harriet, but how can anyone like, let alone want to spend 300 hundred pages with, such a wretched little brat. She's so boring and self-centered and just writes in her pathetic little spy book all day; where's the action? Action? Sorry, not with this book.

For those stuck in a temporarily selfish rut in their lives (hey all of us fall into it from time to time), or for those who feel like they are currently doing everything for everyone else and nothing for themselves, perhaps this book has some worth. For they may be able to relate to Harriet's anger and resentment at the whole world. But a hero? Hardly; Harriet has more of the qualities of a villain. Please look at the other 1 and 2 star reviews for other reasons to avoid this train wreck.

For those looking for a kids book with a female heroine that got it right, try Matilda by Roald Dahl, From the Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler by Konisburg or Inkheart by Funke. All heroines with some anger issues, but dealt with by much more talented authors.

WHen I opened this book it was so boring and downright 2-year-oldish, that I abandoned it and didn't read the rest. It seemed utterly stupid, and though very small children may like the idea, i practically fell asleep.....and it wasn't because of the thickness. I've read thicker. I hope Louise Fitzhugh has some better books out there.....

I RECOMMEND:
dragon rider
the secret garden
arthur and the invisibles
artemis fowl series
midnight blue

We have four children, the first and only one to start reading this book is ten years old and brought it to us the first evening and asked us to review it for bad words. Pointing specifically to a part early in the book where the main character, a young girl, shouts profanity at the dinner table because she is expected to do something she does not want to do. After we reviewed the book further we found another area that discredited the importance of reading the Bible, and of holding to family taught morals and principles. this book is NOT for children of any age. We did not read the entire book, nor do we intend to, it went into the fire. If your Child wants books to read, check a local Christian Book Store.

This book is devoid of all morals. I encourage all parents to encourage your children to read really good children's literature, the BIBLE and forgo this trash. All of the characters are mean, and unlikable. I especially abhor the part when Harriet hangs the fetal pig in the school's stairwell. I homeschool all of our 7 children, and I read everything that I assign them to read. I couln't get past the first chapter of this book before I was ready to throw up in disgust.