Harriet the Spy

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Youth Fiction--Lower Level--Fitzhugh

Harriet the Spy is not a typical children’s book and Harriet Welch is not a typical child. At age 11, Harriet prefers work to play. Every day after school, she grabs her notebook and attends to her spy route. She’s been spying for years and believes that a good spy never gets caught. Her route involves everything from peeking in windows to sneaking into neighbor’s homes, which lends the story plenty of suspense. Her best friends, Sport and Janie, are equally responsible. Sport cleans and cooks for his father, a depressed writer. Janie concocts scientific experiments, often with explosive results. Fitzhugh’s children are serious about their interests and concerns, making this book a great read for intelligent children who dislike being talked down to.

The most important adult in Harriet’s life is her nanny, Ole Golly, who has been with her since birth. Ole Golly is the kind of wonderful mentor who accepts Harriet for who she is while gently prodding her to be open to new experiences. Harriet relies on Ole Golly’s guidance and assumes that she will always be around to help her find her way.

Then two terrible events turn Harriet’s world upside down: Ole Golly is taken away and her notebook—in which she’s written brutally honest observations--falls into the hands of her unforgiving classmates. Suddenly Harriet is an outcast with no one to turn to for help. What’s a cunning spy to do?

Children in grades 4-6 will enjoy Harriet the Spy for the suspense of Harriet’s adventures and for its memorable details: from Harriet's love of tomato sandwiches to the Boy with the Purple Socks. It’s also the kind of book that you can revisit as an adult for reasons beyond nostalgia. Fitzhugh’s characters are morally complex and as real as the people in your own neighborhood.