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77th out of 255 books
—
367 voters
Harriet the Spy (Harriet the Spy)
Harriet M. Welsch is determined to grow up and be a famous author. In the meantime, she practices by following a regular spy route each day and writing down everything she sees in her secret notebook--including her most private and honest thoughts about her friends and classmates. Then one morning, Harriet leaves her spy notebook lying around and her classmates find it. Th...more
Paperback, 298 pages
Published
1964
by Dell
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I loved this book as a kid. I may just have to read it again!!
And read it again I did! I grew up in Harriet's neighborhood (almost) and the descriptions of the New York of my childhood almost broke my heart.
Harriet is a cranky adolescent, living in a cushy New York world that was already changing when I was young and going to "The Gregory School", which was really The Chapin School, located on East End Avenue, across the street from Carl Schurz Park.
The typical "brownstones"
(single family, 3 a...more
And read it again I did! I grew up in Harriet's neighborhood (almost) and the descriptions of the New York of my childhood almost broke my heart.
Harriet is a cranky adolescent, living in a cushy New York world that was already changing when I was young and going to "The Gregory School", which was really The Chapin School, located on East End Avenue, across the street from Carl Schurz Park.
The typical "brownstones"
(single family, 3 a...more
Jul 03, 2007
AJ Griffin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
lovers of onions; people with luscious diaries
The other day my girlfriend said something about her love of tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches, to which I naturally replied "Yeah? Do you like to roll around and pretend you're an onion, too?"
And she had no idea what I meant.
How do you not know Harriet the Spy? She has to rank competitively with the greatest literary characters of all time- so spunky, so misunderstood, so maligned by her peers toward the end. There was even some kind of high budget film that got made a few years ago. Frankly, it...more
And she had no idea what I meant.
How do you not know Harriet the Spy? She has to rank competitively with the greatest literary characters of all time- so spunky, so misunderstood, so maligned by her peers toward the end. There was even some kind of high budget film that got made a few years ago. Frankly, it...more
I loved this book. Read it first in the fifth grade, then read it at least twice a year after that until it fell out of my book bag in the gym locker room in the seventh grade. Spent the rest of that term known as "Harriet" or "Fuckin' Girly Fag." I guess I preferred "Harriet."
This is one of those books that's so much more than it pretends to be. Written 'for' children, it doesn't condescend to them, and has a lot to say to adults too. The adventures about spying, and then dealing with the classmates' reactions, are exciting, but the book isn't really *about* that. It's about growing up, and individualism, and learning empathy, and poetry in print & the poetry of the soul, and love & loss, and what it means to be a parent, or a cook, or a nanny, or a teacher,...more
Oct 16, 2008
badfae
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
general-fiction,
young-adult-and-children
I received this book as a birthday gift on either my sixth or seventh birthday (I think it was my seventh. I still remember the name of the friend who gave it to me, too). I loved it then, and I still do now. Harriet is a quirky kid, a bit out-of-step with her peers, and that was something I could always relate to (not to mention my childhood ambition to be a writer!).
I used to read it at least once a year, growing up, even after I was "too old" for it (you're never too old for Harriet), but ha...more
I used to read it at least once a year, growing up, even after I was "too old" for it (you're never too old for Harriet), but ha...more
Sep 02, 2008
Kressel Housman
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
kids who want to be writers
When I was in fourth grade, I would have named Harriet the Spy as my very favorite book, even though I only read the first half of it. I re-read that first half so many times though, it was practically an obsession. First of all, Harriet's commentary in her notebook in hilariously funny. But more than that, I wanted to be a writer just like Harriet, so I was going to do things her way. I even went so far as to look in one of my neighbor's windows for material, but I got caught on the first try....more
Nov 10, 2007
Jessica
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
nosy diarists
Shelves:
wee-ones-and-bored-teenagers,
here-is-new-york
This book taught me the word "fink," which is one of many things I can't believe has gone out of style. It also terrified me with disturbing descriptions of the mother's beauty treatments, which I didn't understand then and don't now.
This book has a somewhat unlikable protagonist who has a very unappealing home life. It presents what I remember as being a very dark view of human nature. The whole trilogy is excellent.
I actually went back and reread this in high school, and enjoyed it a lot then....more
This book has a somewhat unlikable protagonist who has a very unappealing home life. It presents what I remember as being a very dark view of human nature. The whole trilogy is excellent.
I actually went back and reread this in high school, and enjoyed it a lot then....more
I started reading early and started reading beyond my age level very quickly, so I was pretty much beyond children's books way before I was done being a child. Sometimes it seems like I went directly from Dr. Seuss to Grimm's Fairy Tales and then on to adult books. But this was one children's book that truly changed my life.
The book is about a little girl who fancies herself a spy, and keeps a "secret notebook" full of observations about her family, classmates and neighbors. I imagine that most...more
The book is about a little girl who fancies herself a spy, and keeps a "secret notebook" full of observations about her family, classmates and neighbors. I imagine that most...more
Life-changing. I am not kidding. She was my heroine.
"Lovely, lovely. Now let's see, vegetables first, vegetables..." Sport started to sprint for the door. Miss Elson pulled him back by the ear. Pinky Whitehead arrived back. Miss Berry turned to him, enchanted. "You will make a wonderful stalk of celery."
"What?" said Pinky stupidly.
"And you"--she pointed at Harriet--"are an ONION."
This was too much. "I refuse. I absolutely REFUSE to be an onion."
"Sometimes you have to lie. But to yourself you mus...more
"Lovely, lovely. Now let's see, vegetables first, vegetables..." Sport started to sprint for the door. Miss Elson pulled him back by the ear. Pinky Whitehead arrived back. Miss Berry turned to him, enchanted. "You will make a wonderful stalk of celery."
"What?" said Pinky stupidly.
"And you"--she pointed at Harriet--"are an ONION."
This was too much. "I refuse. I absolutely REFUSE to be an onion."
"Sometimes you have to lie. But to yourself you mus...more
(Classics & Cabin Fever) I remember reading this story as child and enjoying it. I am listening to this story, but I'm not loving it starting the 2nd disk of the book. It's slow and rambling. It improved a little toward the end, but you might need to be a child of the past to appreciate it.
Likes:
* Harriet wants to be a spy
* Jamie, Harriet's best friend, wants to be a chemist
* Sport, token boy in their friendship threesome, wants to be an accountant
* Ole Golly's adept handling of Harriet
* Ole...more
Likes:
* Harriet wants to be a spy
* Jamie, Harriet's best friend, wants to be a chemist
* Sport, token boy in their friendship threesome, wants to be an accountant
* Ole Golly's adept handling of Harriet
* Ole...more
Schadenfreude. That's what this book is about and it's all Harriet thinks about--the misfortune of others and how she can find joy in it. While that can have its place (like in The Hunger Games), it is just disturbing where this book is concerned.
This is one of those rare times where, twenty years later, I reread a book from childhood that I adored, and my opinion of it completely changes as an adult. I kept my original copy from childhood, but now I'm not sure I will keep it still because I can...more
This is one of those rare times where, twenty years later, I reread a book from childhood that I adored, and my opinion of it completely changes as an adult. I kept my original copy from childhood, but now I'm not sure I will keep it still because I can...more
If you read what shelves I put this on, and if you notice my rating, you'll probably will be able to figure out just what I think of this book. Must I be more clear? THIS BOOK IS AWESOME (the caps are so you see it better, since you obviously couldn't see my shelves and rating).
Must I go into more detail. I must. Here we go:
This is a kids' book, that's clear from the pretty enormous font. And the simple language. And so on. But, if you are a parent reading this to your children, then you are in...more
Must I go into more detail. I must. Here we go:
This is a kids' book, that's clear from the pretty enormous font. And the simple language. And so on. But, if you are a parent reading this to your children, then you are in...more
Since naming my youngest Harriet, I've had a number of people ask me or just outright assume that I named her for the title character from Louise Fitzhugh's novel Harriet the Spy (1964). She isn't named for the book but she did prompt me to read the book.
Many of the books reviews I've read for Harriet the Spy credit it for being ground breaking its brutally honest portrayal of childhood. Maybe it's the first (or among the first) to depict children in then contemporary society. The book though w...more
Many of the books reviews I've read for Harriet the Spy credit it for being ground breaking its brutally honest portrayal of childhood. Maybe it's the first (or among the first) to depict children in then contemporary society. The book though w...more
Harriet observes the world around her and documents everything she sees in her notebook. She spies on a range of people in her life and takes copious notes about the good, the bad, and the terribly boring. She keeps tabs on her neighbors including the wealthy woman in her apartment building who lies in bed all day talking on the phone, the loud family that owns the corner grocery store--and her friends. Harriet doesn’t hold back in her notebooks, and she gets into big trouble with her classmates...more
This is a wonderful book. I love Louise Fitzhugh's language - she is very witty, but also has a great feel for words - it's delicious to read this book.
I also think this is a great portrayal of a kid - with great attention given to nuance of childhood friendships - yes Harriett is a bit of a pest and unpleasant - but at least she is all herself. I also like how her parents leave her alone, but at the same time are there to support her when she needs the support - I think that's great parenting.
A...more
I also think this is a great portrayal of a kid - with great attention given to nuance of childhood friendships - yes Harriett is a bit of a pest and unpleasant - but at least she is all herself. I also like how her parents leave her alone, but at the same time are there to support her when she needs the support - I think that's great parenting.
A...more
Apr 12, 2009
Kelly Maybedog Hawkins
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
what-ya-and-children
One of my favorite books growing up, it was a character I could relate to and it had a good message without being preachy. It's one of the few books that I loved that my daughter loved, too. The main character was strong, intelligent, independent and still real. It's hard to believe it was written before I was born.
A much-beloved book during my pre-teen years. I loved Harriet. Loved her individualism and humor. Identified with the way she was always on the fringe of grade school society. I tried keeping a secret spy notebook like hers, but never put much in it. My classmates weren't all that interesting.
Every few years I have to go back and reread Harriet the Spy. I've always felt Harriet and I had a lot in common...we're both nosy, socially awkward, and want to be writers when we grow up. Oh, and Harriet has cake and milk every afternoon at 3:40, a ritual I would love to have.
I just re-read this as it seems lately I can only read books meant for 10 year olds. It was great. I tried, while I was reading, to figure out what during time period it was supposed to be taking place, since there were ink pots and delivery men on bicycles, and decided it was the same time period that 101 Dalmatians (the cartoon one, not the dumb movie one) took place during. I dont know what it was though. Also i don't like the picture of Harriet on the cover of this one, which is the one i bo...more
Classic (Novel)
Harriet Welsch is an eleven year old, an aspiring writer and spy, and lives in New York City. Harriet carefully watches others and writes her thoughts down in a notebook and has a “spy route” where she spies on her neighbors and friends. Harriet's life starts to change when her parents attend a party and when they come home they fire her nanny, which makes Harriet sad. Harriet loses her notebook at school and her classmates find it and make fun of Harriet. Then, Harriet starts to...more
Harriet Welsch is an eleven year old, an aspiring writer and spy, and lives in New York City. Harriet carefully watches others and writes her thoughts down in a notebook and has a “spy route” where she spies on her neighbors and friends. Harriet's life starts to change when her parents attend a party and when they come home they fire her nanny, which makes Harriet sad. Harriet loses her notebook at school and her classmates find it and make fun of Harriet. Then, Harriet starts to...more
I had never read this as a child; perhaps I would have liked it better when I was younger. This book is Mean Girls written in 1964 for a younger audience.
Harriet doesn't learn how to be nicer even after her classmates read her secret notebook. She produces a gossip sheet at the end of the book, which seems to give her to the will to go on, but she is still unkind.
Her parents are self-absorbed and leave the care of Harriet to a nurse who in the end doesn't miss her - she is just "a lovely memory...more
Harriet doesn't learn how to be nicer even after her classmates read her secret notebook. She produces a gossip sheet at the end of the book, which seems to give her to the will to go on, but she is still unkind.
Her parents are self-absorbed and leave the care of Harriet to a nurse who in the end doesn't miss her - she is just "a lovely memory...more
Harriet M. Welsch is an 11-year-old girl living in Manhattan with her parents and her beloved nanny, Ole Golly. Harriet is a spy and spies on people all the time. She even has a spy route, the places where she spies every day after school. Harriet also takes notes in her notebook on everything she sees or thinks. Even though Harriet is just being honest, most of the notes are mean things about people. Like "Carrie Andrews has gotten considerably fatter this year", and "Pinky Whitehead will never...more
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to a very important person to me: Harriet M. Welsch, aka Harriet the Spy. She has been there for me on more than one occasion when I've needed her and she has not let me down. I don't anticipate she ever will.
I read this book at least once every year or two, or at least generally when things in life are rather poopy. I consider this the macaroni and cheese of the literary world, my mashed potatoes, my pudding. I just had my thyroid surgically r...more
I read this book at least once every year or two, or at least generally when things in life are rather poopy. I consider this the macaroni and cheese of the literary world, my mashed potatoes, my pudding. I just had my thyroid surgically r...more
There are many books I don't recall reading from my childhood--either I never did, or else the memory of it has disappeared somewhere in the years of growing up. I would be surprised to learn I never read it, though, because it feels like a book I would have loved when I was younger. (Note: there are spoilers because the book is 30 years old and as an adult reading a middle grade novel, there are a couple of things I wanted to discuss.)
I've always had a penchant for writing everything down. I've...more
I've always had a penchant for writing everything down. I've...more
I loved this as a kid, and even remembered and could recite scenes as I listened to it on an audio recording, but holy crap, this book does NOT hold up. For one thing, there's so much that Harriet says just as a matter of course -- saying someone is so fat she shouldn't leave the house, saying that someone blushed so red she looked like "a hook-nosed old Indian" -- that are now out of fashion for good reason. It's jarring to read them. Also, Harriet is a freakin psycho and so is her friend Janie...more
"Harriet looked at her curiously, then wrote:
I THINK MISS ELSON IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU DON'T BOTHER TO THINK ABOUT TWICE.
She slammed the notebook shut as though she had put Miss Elson in a box and slammed the lid." -- pg 33
"IT'S JUST WHAT OLE GOLLY SAYS, RICH PEOPLE ARE BORING. SHE SAYS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T DO ANYTHING THEY DON'T THINK ANYTHING, AND WHEN THEY DON'T THINK ANYTHING THERE'S NOTHING TO THINK ABOUT THEM. IF I HAD A DUMBWAITER I WOULD LOOK IN IT ALL THE TIME TO SEE IF ANYBODY WAS IN...more
I THINK MISS ELSON IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU DON'T BOTHER TO THINK ABOUT TWICE.
She slammed the notebook shut as though she had put Miss Elson in a box and slammed the lid." -- pg 33
"IT'S JUST WHAT OLE GOLLY SAYS, RICH PEOPLE ARE BORING. SHE SAYS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T DO ANYTHING THEY DON'T THINK ANYTHING, AND WHEN THEY DON'T THINK ANYTHING THERE'S NOTHING TO THINK ABOUT THEM. IF I HAD A DUMBWAITER I WOULD LOOK IN IT ALL THE TIME TO SEE IF ANYBODY WAS IN...more
Harriet in Harriet the Spy is not your typical lovable protagonist. She is quirky, an outcast, witty, nosy, and cranky. However, there is something about her that we are all intrigued by. Harriet is a writer. She goes people-watching, documents everything she sees, and writes about other people's lives in her notebook. Everything that Harriet writes in her notebook is incredibly clever and humorous. I remember that after I read this book, I wanted to become a spy of my own and started people-wat...more
Another delight in the series of beloved kids' books I have been rereading for a number of months now...
Here's a review of "Harriet The Spy" I posted recently elsewhere:
I've been thinking about "Harriet The Spy".
It's a book that I loved when I read it soon after it was first published. It received mixed reviews then, and from skimming reviews of it now, it continues to confound reviewers. I am struck, however, at how strenuous some of the objections are to it today, and wonder if the tone of tho...more
Here's a review of "Harriet The Spy" I posted recently elsewhere:
I've been thinking about "Harriet The Spy".
It's a book that I loved when I read it soon after it was first published. It received mixed reviews then, and from skimming reviews of it now, it continues to confound reviewers. I am struck, however, at how strenuous some of the objections are to it today, and wonder if the tone of tho...more
Fitzhugh, L. (1964). Harriet the spy. New York, New York: Random House.
Harriet the Spy is a novel about 11-year-old Harriet Welsch, who is occupied with observing life around her neighborhood in Manhattan. She writes down everything she sees, feels, and thinks. Without her notebook, Harriet feels like her thoughts don't come as easily. While she does write a lot, the content can be offensive to those whom she writes about. She gets into some trouble once her notebook is found, and loses friends...more
Harriet the Spy is a novel about 11-year-old Harriet Welsch, who is occupied with observing life around her neighborhood in Manhattan. She writes down everything she sees, feels, and thinks. Without her notebook, Harriet feels like her thoughts don't come as easily. While she does write a lot, the content can be offensive to those whom she writes about. She gets into some trouble once her notebook is found, and loses friends...more
11 year old Harriet is an aspiring writer and spy. An only child, Harriet is raised mainly by her Nanny, Ole Golly. When she isn’t spending time with her best friends Sport and Janie, Harriet is spying on everyone in her neighbourhood. Encouraged by Ole Golly, Harriet keeps a notebook and records everything that happens around her. Along with this, Harriet uses her notebook to archive her thoughts about her friends and family. All is well until she loses her secret notebook whilst playing with h...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 Books to Read...: October Pick - Harriet the Spy | 15 | 11 | 25 de Abr 19:07 | |
| To All You Notebook Carriers | 14 | 69 | 20 de Nov 20:12 | |
| Harriet the Spy is the most important book of my childhood | 26 | 119 | 18 de May 17:48 |
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 dated in hig...more
More about Louise Fitzhugh...
She was married briefly to Ed Thompson, whom she dated in hig...more
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“Don't mess with anybody on a Monday. It's a bad, bad day.”
—
49 people liked it
“[Harriet] hated math. She hated math with every bone in her body. She spent so much time hating it that she never had time to do it.”
—
38 people liked it
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17 de Abr 15:24
Thanks for your nice comments everyone.
12 de Mar 15:10