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170th out of 411 books
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286 voters
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The Long Secret (Harriet the Spy)
Harriet the Spy refuses to become ruffled when an unidentified person starts leaving disturbing notes all over the quiet little beach town of Water Mill. She’s determined to discover the author of the notes. And she drags her best friend, mousy Beth Ellen, into all kinds of odd and embarrassing situations in her efforts to reveal the culprit. Observing in her own special, ...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
August 19th 2009
by Yearling
(first published 1965)
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How can anyone not love a book that starts out with a cashier with "mean eyes" receiving an anonymous note that reads "jesus hates you"?
C'mon; seriously--
C'mon; seriously--
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I enjoyed every bit of Harriet the Spy as a girl, and, while it made me anxious to read (because you knew she was going to get caught!), re-read it many times.
But The Long Secret is the book I continue to re-read as a grown woman. It shares the same strengths of great character portraits, plotting, and sense of place that "Harriet" had, but this sequel has a more languid, mysterious, quirky feel, and dares to leave things hanging. Set on the shores of the wealthy New Yorkers...more
But The Long Secret is the book I continue to re-read as a grown woman. It shares the same strengths of great character portraits, plotting, and sense of place that "Harriet" had, but this sequel has a more languid, mysterious, quirky feel, and dares to leave things hanging. Set on the shores of the wealthy New Yorkers...more
The under appreciated red headed step sister of Harriet the Spy. Just as good, and in many ways, better.
Like 'Harriet the Spy' and 'Sport,' a groundbreaking work of children's literature. I don't know if Judy Blume read this before writing 'Are You There, God?' (published in 1970, five years after 'The Long Secret') but two of the central themes are similar--puberty and religion--so there's little doubt that Fitzhugh opened the door for clear-eyed frankness on such subject matter. Like Margaret, Harriet and her intermittent friend (and the real star of 'Secret') Beth Ann occupy a lofty socioecon...more
A very different book from Harriet the Spy, and probably better. It's more ambiguous, more confused, with multiple points of view. As a kid, I didn't like it. Returning to it, I was hesitant because I remembered critical remarks about--well, everyone in the book, basically, sneering at people's foibles, their weight, their poverty, what-have-you. I remembered incorrectly; Harriet does some of that (she does more in her own book), but just as with Harriet the Spy, the reader sees everyone's a...more
I remember reading this book as a kid and not being too nuts about it, but after rereading it, I just love it. One of my favorite things about Fitzhugh's writing is that she makes most of the adults in her books out to be complete idiots. That scene in the Shark's Tooth Inn-classic. I think this book may just be too much for all but the most sophisticated of kid readers. Who of them are going to see Agatha Plummer as a total cougar, and Wallace ("HUP!" love that), as a money grubbi...more
This book, from the Harriet the Spy author with a focus on one of her friends, FLOORED me. I absolutely love it.
I like the book towards the end. When the characters shows more heart and emotion. I appreciate the ending.
However, this book felt bland . I like the first book well enough, but this one, I need to force myself to continue reading it.
I have no idea why I have a hard time imagining the story. Usually I have no difficulties in building the world the characters live in, in my min. However this book, make me feel dull and without imagination. Whenever I pictured the character i...more
However, this book felt bland . I like the first book well enough, but this one, I need to force myself to continue reading it.
I have no idea why I have a hard time imagining the story. Usually I have no difficulties in building the world the characters live in, in my min. However this book, make me feel dull and without imagination. Whenever I pictured the character i...more
Lucy Longstocking review http://www.wcl.govt.nz/blogs/kids/index....
Lots of people have read Harriet the Spy and loved it, but not so many know about the two follow up books. Harriet returns in The Long Secret, which is a wonderful summer holiday story. The long Secret begins with a nasty (but sort-of funny) secret note and Harriet’s burning desire to find out who sent it. She enlists her mousy friend Beth Allen to reluctantly help her, and they have lots of odd encounters along the ...more
Lots of people have read Harriet the Spy and loved it, but not so many know about the two follow up books. Harriet returns in The Long Secret, which is a wonderful summer holiday story. The long Secret begins with a nasty (but sort-of funny) secret note and Harriet’s burning desire to find out who sent it. She enlists her mousy friend Beth Allen to reluctantly help her, and they have lots of odd encounters along the ...more
I found this book on my own bookshelf. I can't believe it's possible that I never read the follow-up to Harriet the Spy, one of my all-time favorite books. But I don't remember reading it, so maybe I haven't read it as an adult. I'm excited.
Updated to add: Long Secret is more about Harriet's mousy friend Beth Ellen than about Harriet, though it follows both of them through their adventures one summer in the Hamptons (they are very posh!). It is pretty fantastic, but not quite as ...more
Updated to add: Long Secret is more about Harriet's mousy friend Beth Ellen than about Harriet, though it follows both of them through their adventures one summer in the Hamptons (they are very posh!). It is pretty fantastic, but not quite as ...more
I loved Harriet the Spy, and was so excited to read this next one...but as a kid I found it much more melancholy...I think now that I look back on it, it's because the book actually does capture that melancholy feeling of puberty, of having to leave childhood behind, of being separated out from childhood by what is happening to your body. That is part of what is brilliant about the book. But much more evocative for girls, than boys, I'd think....
I never loved this one quite like I did Harriet the Spy, but it's still a pretty great book. This is told from Beth Ellen Hanson's point of view, and I loved watching her go from a quiet, mousy girl that lets Harriet bully her to someone who stands up to Harriet and basically tells her that she's acting like a jerk (which she totally is). And also, it's funny!
A funny and strange little mystery. The main characters (ages 11-12) deal with questions about religion, growing up, and belonging. Most of the focus is on the main characters (ages 11-12), but there are subtleties to some parts that seem like they might not be understood by young readers. I wonder what I would have thought of this if I had read it as a kid?
This book is kind of childish but it tells a good tale. this book always kept me on a swivle because out of nowhere some crazy, or weird, thing would happen and it even put a smile on my face a few times, and i hate books. I definitly would recommend this book to anyone looking for an easier read or someone looking for an outstanding book.
One of my all time favorite books from my childhood. More than Harriet Welsch, I identified with Beth Ellen Hansen. Harriet felt like the child I wanted to be, while Beth Ellen is the child that I was. Interestingly I have never read Harriet the Spy and one day soon I may pick it up, but The Long Secret is a brilliant book standing on its own.
When I first read this, I was disappointed by the new angle on Harriet. I'd built her up as rather a hero and had overlooked her more grating aspects. Too, I think the book made me uncomfortable because though Harriet impressed me, Beth Ellen is probably more who I am, too.
Age brings perspective. This really was quite the book.
Age brings perspective. This really was quite the book.
This book is wonderful. It can be read out loud or to yourself, but it must be read after Harriet the Spy. It is much better than that though. There are weird and wonderful people out in the Hamptons when it was just a place people went in the summer. It's about teens learning that adults are fallible. Kind of.
Found out about this book from @EgmontGal during a Twitter chat for children's book writers and actually purchased the e-book version from Kobo during the chat for reading on my iPad. @EgmontGal is right...it has a different feel from Harriet The Spy, but I still loved it. Parts of it made me bawl.
Louise Fitzhugh was a genius. I've just re-read The Long Secret at 37 after reading it when I was about 10 and I loved it just as much this time around. I've never read any other children's books that are as funny, zany, clever, emotional and authentic as any of Fitzhugh's masterpieces.
What I love about this book is the touching sense of the desperate boredom of adolescence that Louise Fitzhugh evokes without ever directly addressing the issue. And Harriet M. Welsch has always been a hero to me.
I read this because it was about Harriet the Spy, of course. But this story was wacky...didn't really follow any kind of plot, sometimes had a faint resemblance to Harriet The Spy but mostly just left me going, "huh?"
Saw this one on Marian's list. Wow! I had no idea I could get more of Harriet the Spy! I love the way Fitzhugh deals with religion through a child's eyes.
I liked it a little less that Harriet, The Spy, but it's still a good read. Louise Fitzhugh is such a light simple writer, in the best possible way.
The second of the "Harriet" books by Fitzhugh, also a reread. I had forgotten a lot about this entry and it was a delight to revisit it.
Ehbluemle Bluemle
added it
The Long Secret (Harriet the Spy Adventures (Dell Yearling Book)) by Louise Fitzhugh (2002)
"That's it, thought Beth Ellen: Never be afraid to wear glasses."
Can't remember when I first read this, but I know I was originally put off by the somewhat negative depiction of Harriet; I felt disloyal. But now I can appreciate Fitzhugh's realism. I will always adore bossy and screechy Harriet, but that doesn't mean that I can't cheer on Beth Ellen, too. "The mice shall inherit the earth, it's said."
Click below for a wise and impressive review (and more fabulous ...more
Can't remember when I first read this, but I know I was originally put off by the somewhat negative depiction of Harriet; I felt disloyal. But now I can appreciate Fitzhugh's realism. I will always adore bossy and screechy Harriet, but that doesn't mean that I can't cheer on Beth Ellen, too. "The mice shall inherit the earth, it's said."
Click below for a wise and impressive review (and more fabulous ...more
I didn't like this as much as "Harriet the Spy"
Fatphobic and chock full of rich white children. Betrayed some of my childhood love for Harriet. Still enjoyable, though.
More Harriett the Spy....
well let me just say that althpugh not as good as the heaven-shines-down-in-it original, it still has its own light on it.
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Born in Memphis, Tennessee. She attended Miss Hutchison's School and three different universities, without obtaining a degree. According to her obituary in the New York Times, Fitzhugh graduated from Barnard College in 1950. She lived most of her adult life in New York City and had houses in both Long Island and Bridgewater, Connecticut.
She was married briefly to Ed Thompson, whom she ...more
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She was married briefly to Ed Thompson, whom she ...more
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