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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
I read this book as a kid and loved it, so I wanted to go through it again. It's a really cute story, but it is meant for children, so keep that in mind. :)
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel weirdly passionate about this book, fair warning.
As a child of the 90's, and a lover of mystery from an early age, I love this movie. I remember it with a lot of fondness. So, for a light read, I decided to pick up a copy of the book. I whole heartedly believe that this is one of those cases where the movie is better than the book. Time and nostalgia may have colored my memory but I feel like Harriet grew over the course of the movie and had to take a hard look at herself in the end.
However, the book does not have any of the same lessons. Book Harriet is unapologetically cruel, more so than movie Harriet. Book Harriet also suffers no consequences for her actions. Lesson's learned, if any, don't lead to substantial character growth. If anything, she learns to be more discreet and careful with her cruelty.
Admittedly, I prefer a book with a strong more question that leads to character development. I want to see a lesson learned and growth happen. This just doesn't happen in the book. But perhaps, for all the wrong reasons, I, the reader, learned from this book. It reminded me the power of words and how hurtful they can be. It reminded me that I have the power to make the world a better place with kindness or make it worse through cruelty.
In short, if you love the movie as a child, this is not the book you think it will be. Don't expect Harriet to be a better person by the end of the book, but there are still important lessons to be gleaned. You just have to look for them, and maybe look at yourself a little.
As a child of the 90's, and a lover of mystery from an early age, I love this movie. I remember it with a lot of fondness. So, for a light read, I decided to pick up a copy of the book. I whole heartedly believe that this is one of those cases where the movie is better than the book. Time and nostalgia may have colored my memory but I feel like Harriet grew over the course of the movie and had to take a hard look at herself in the end.
However, the book does not have any of the same lessons. Book Harriet is unapologetically cruel, more so than movie Harriet. Book Harriet also suffers no consequences for her actions. Lesson's learned, if any, don't lead to substantial character growth. If anything, she learns to be more discreet and careful with her cruelty.
Admittedly, I prefer a book with a strong more question that leads to character development. I want to see a lesson learned and growth happen. This just doesn't happen in the book. But perhaps, for all the wrong reasons, I, the reader, learned from this book. It reminded me the power of words and how hurtful they can be. It reminded me that I have the power to make the world a better place with kindness or make it worse through cruelty.
In short, if you love the movie as a child, this is not the book you think it will be. Don't expect Harriet to be a better person by the end of the book, but there are still important lessons to be gleaned. You just have to look for them, and maybe look at yourself a little.
read to Isabel. This honestly isn’t a children’s book. Almost all of its humor is adult humor and Harriet is incredibly spoiled and rude and almost learns lessons then doesn’t. I never read as a kid so I have no nostalgia but my 6 year old wasn’t enamored either. She kept saying “she says mean things.” It’s well written but it’s an adult book about children.
I really wish I’d read this as a child.
Also, the sting of Janie’s betrayal is still fresh.
Also, the sting of Janie’s betrayal is still fresh.
This has NOT aged well. I lost count of how many times the word “fat” was used to connote negative character traits. And then Ole Golly was compared to a “hawk nosed Indian” when she blushed and I had to stop.
I think the reason I loved this book so much is because I identified (and still do) with Harriet. Being an only child, I did a lot of things on my own, I love to observe others and find out what is going on behind the scenes, and I am sometimes oblivious to the lessons I should be learning! I've had times when I felt like everyone is out to get me, and I definitely like to be the boss (like Harriet does of Sport!) I'm not one for reading books multiple times, but my conservative guess for the number of times I've read this book would be 10!
I NEED TO REREAD THIS HOW AM I JUST FINDING OUT NOW THAT LOUISE FITZHUGH WAS A LESBIAN BRO WHAT
The pastor of our local Methodist church recently had a baby girl whom she named Harriet. So, naturally, it got me thinking about "Harriet" books. I'd already read Harriet and the Piper, so had to move on. I believe that my kids, back in the day, read some books about Harriet the Spy. So, I hunted up that series.
Harriet M. Welsch—the 'M' is important—is an 11-year-old girl who wants to grow up to be a spy. So, she spends her days outside school spying on people. She has a regular route around her neighborhood. She carries a notebook and writes down what she sees and her impressions of the people on which she is spying. Occasionally, she hangs out with her two best friends, Sport, aka. Simon Rocque, and Janie Gibbs.
Sport wants to be a ball player, but much of his time is spent caring for his father, who is a writer. Sport has to do the housework, cooking and cleaning, for his father. Janie wants to be a chemist, so she spends a lot of her time doing experiments in her "lab"—her bedroom—and hopes to concoct chemicals which will blow things up. Ah, I remember days with my own chemistry set and trying to make explosives.
Anyway, we have Harriet mostly spying on people and writing down her observations. Her parents seem to be too busy to give her much of their time, so Harriet has a sort of nanny, named Ole Golly (Catherine, actually). It seems that Ole Golly does a good job of keeping Harriet out of trouble. But, Old Golly has a boyfriend, George Waldenstein, and they decide to get married. Thus, Ole Golly is out of Harriet's life. Things begin to unravel for Harriet.
One of the kids in her class managed to steal Harriet's notebook and starts reading out all the things Harriet has written about her classmates. That doesn't sit well with them, and the class ostracises her. Harriet falls into a funk. Eventually, Harriet gets a letter from Ole Golly that more-or-less straightens her out. Also, a rather strange visit to a shrink.
I dunno, I had a hard time getting into the book, and it never really worked for me. I can see that I might have liked it better were I 11 years old, rather than seven times that number. I do, however, read a lot of books for kids, and mostly still can enjoy them. This was ok, but nothing special to me.
Harriet M. Welsch—the 'M' is important—is an 11-year-old girl who wants to grow up to be a spy. So, she spends her days outside school spying on people. She has a regular route around her neighborhood. She carries a notebook and writes down what she sees and her impressions of the people on which she is spying. Occasionally, she hangs out with her two best friends, Sport, aka. Simon Rocque, and Janie Gibbs.
Sport wants to be a ball player, but much of his time is spent caring for his father, who is a writer. Sport has to do the housework, cooking and cleaning, for his father. Janie wants to be a chemist, so she spends a lot of her time doing experiments in her "lab"—her bedroom—and hopes to concoct chemicals which will blow things up. Ah, I remember days with my own chemistry set and trying to make explosives.
Anyway, we have Harriet mostly spying on people and writing down her observations. Her parents seem to be too busy to give her much of their time, so Harriet has a sort of nanny, named Ole Golly (Catherine, actually). It seems that Ole Golly does a good job of keeping Harriet out of trouble. But, Old Golly has a boyfriend, George Waldenstein, and they decide to get married. Thus, Ole Golly is out of Harriet's life. Things begin to unravel for Harriet.
One of the kids in her class managed to steal Harriet's notebook and starts reading out all the things Harriet has written about her classmates. That doesn't sit well with them, and the class ostracises her. Harriet falls into a funk. Eventually, Harriet gets a letter from Ole Golly that more-or-less straightens her out. Also, a rather strange visit to a shrink.
I dunno, I had a hard time getting into the book, and it never really worked for me. I can see that I might have liked it better were I 11 years old, rather than seven times that number. I do, however, read a lot of books for kids, and mostly still can enjoy them. This was ok, but nothing special to me.