Harriet the Spy

Rating:
Summary: Quite good
Review: This book is an excellent read for children, the story of Harriet is not one to be missed. She, as a determined spy set for a career in writing, finds herself going through her spy route daily, and keeping her notebook jam-packed with personal notes about everything and everyone. Her life turns upside down however, when one day her classmates find her private notebook, and start to read all of her notes inside - about them! Harriet's never-around mother and father are not a lot of help as the situation gets out of hand for Harriet, and even her best friends Janie and Simon are against her.

Though I loved this book when I was younger, re-reading it made me see the quite flat perspective and the almost completely camera angle made this book not quite as enjoyable as it had been when I was younger. However, still a very refreshing read for all!

Rating:
Summary: Serious worldview problems amidst good writing
Review: I just finished listening to this book with our two sons age 8 and 9. The writing style was very descriptive and well developed (with the exception of the conclusion), however the book overall has serious problems in approach. Harriet is a mean-spirited little girl who sees very little in reality of consequences. She sees the negative in most everything and when caught in this trap of jaundiced eye (and pen), rather than being held accountable for her acts and brought to better resolution, she is allowed to go on getting meaner and meaner. The other children respond also meanly. The portrayal of others is very derogatory. We spent many sessions discussing what was wrong with Harriets positions and perspectives as we went through the book. She is compulsive and obsessive and is in serious grief over the loss of her nurse. These issues were completely glossed over. Her mother and father are rather disassociated with her life and caught up in their own lives to her detriment. Raising good kids takes good input and parenting. That does not get portrayed in this book. The conclusion of the book is not well executed and the portrayal of family life is very negative. If you want a book that will rob your kids of their childhood perspective, this is it. If you want a book that is more an adult study in disfunctional children in a disfunctional world populated by disfunctional adults, this is it. After reading this book, it is obvious to me why the 60s and 70s became a child-rearing society that created the greed, personal lack of accountability, and negativism in the young adults of the 80s, 90s, and new century. Values do matter and are shaped heavily in this age range of readers. Reading other reviews on Amazon, by people who claim this book brought them encouragement to become writers, shows to me why todays literature is so devoid of values, hope, and goodness.

Rating:
Summary: a life-changing, must-read!
Review: this book blew me away! i read it for the first time at 8 years old. i saw the movie. from then on, i kept a journal in a speckled, black and white composition book! i spied on my friends, neighbors, and family. i decided to become the journalist i now am, and every time i had a problem, i could look in that book for answers. the characters are so real, and the story so original. it changed my life, and i love it. actually, i still read it every summer. also check out the Sequal, The Long Letter. its great, too! =) READ HARRIET THE SPY!

Rating:
Summary: First read it at 12, still love it at 42
Review: Harriet the Spy is an old friend who I come back to even now, so many years later. Harriet helped shape my world. She wanted to be a writer, so did I (and I might add, I succeeded, and I hope that she did too, wherever the "grown up" Harriet might be in literature land). She felt estranged from her classmates, so did I. Harriet and her perceptions on life taught me that it was okay to question what I saw around me, that it was okay to look at life differently. I'll always thank Louise Fitzhugh for writing a book that changed my life in so many ways, and that still holds up as a wonderful, funny and poignant story years after the fact.

Rating:
Summary: The Sneaky Spy
Review: It is about a girl who is a sneaky spy. She has a notebook that she loves. She has written some mean things about her best friends. Will she ever become friends with them again? Find out in Harriet the spy. This would be a goood boook for people who like and mysteries. It is a very good book. If you have time read the book Harriet the spy. I know if you read it you will like it. It wasn't the best book I ever read, but it was the second best book I ever read in my life. Please read Harriet the spy.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book
Review: Ever since I was in 4th grade, and Harriet the Spy came out into theatres, I began to spy as she did because it seemed so interesting, even before I saw the movie or read the book. In 5th grade, I ordered it from a book sale catalog, and read it. I loved the book because Harriet was so funny and clever, she reminded me of one of my own friends, and a little of myself because of some of her tomboyish charms. And every couple years I stumble across my old notebook, which looked exactly like Harriets, and I read through it. When I am done, I just feel like I am getting too old and my life is passing me by, and then I ALWAYS end up reading the book again after, and it just keeps getting better and better, because I understand alot more of what is going on now that I am in 11th grade. This book just reminds you of youth, friends, and being a child, and wondering how adults function, and how people are out there living their lives day to day, but you never stop to consider how different theirs is from your own. I most definately reccomend this book to everyone, its not just a childrens book, its a book for all ages to enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: A book to read over and over through the years
Review: When I was in fifth grade, Harriet The Spy came into movie theaters. My teacher had posters of the movie in the classroom, and everytime I walked to the restroon, I'd look at it. It looked like it'd be good, so I decided to see it. I LOVED it.

Almost immeadielty I bought the book, and loved it even more. What I loved most about the book and movie was that Harriet was so sly, yet determinted to know everything, everything and work on her long-term goal to become a writer.

I loved watching and reading about her observations recorded in her little compostion notebooks. I became so obessed with Harriet The Spy that I myself became an eleven-year-old spy. I got a notebook that was the same as the one in the movie (which was not easy, those flexible comp notebooks are HARD to find), wrote PRIVATE on the front cover, and created my own spy route. I'd spy on neighbors, family, even friends! And best of all I NEVER got caught! The best part was writing in my notebook and proudly stating no else could read it.

I've always wanted to become a writer, so being a spy in 5th-6th grades was so much fun. I even had the whole spy getup on, the belt with all the tools I'd need. The only thing I didn't like about the belt was the fact that running with the notebook under it was very uncomfortable, and it dug into my stomach, lol! Poor Michelle (Harriet) must have been in such pain whenever they did takes with the book under her belt!

Anyway, both the book and movie have inspired me to become a writer. I highly doubt I would have taken a more serious interest in writing if it were not for this movie/book. Of course now I no longer spy, (I stopped after sixth grade because it apparently caused some controversy with family and friends) but I still keep notebooks/journals/diaries whatever you want to call them, and I LOVE to write stories and poems. No matter how old I get, I'll ALWAYS, AWLAYS love Harriet The Spy. :0)

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Introduction Into Spy Work by Harriet!
Review: Enduring classic read for children, especially girls. Harriet is an individual with spunk, determination and independence, and is never daunted by adventures which give her set-backs and confusion. Children can identify with Harriet. She is an unforgetable character! I have listened to many book reports in class on this fine little book. A must read for all children!
Evelyn Horan...

Rating:
Summary: My Adventures Inside the Book "Harriet the Spy".
Review: When I first read the book "Harriet the Spy", I really liked it. I have been reading it ever since.
I have always been obsessed with writing, I still am (I am working on my 9th diary currently), but this book encouraged me even more. I also have been wanting to be a spy all my life...well, actually, for about a year. I officially claimed to be an official spy on the day of my 13th birthday (I am 14 now). But I don't just keep a "notebook" or call it one at that, I keep all sorts of diaries, and I call them diaries too. But I think that I am going to write in a lot of "notebooks" and call them diaries, thanks to Harriet. She's my heroine!! By the way, just because a book has "unacceptable" things in it, doesn't mean that it's not acceptable to someone else. ; > *Freakout.* OH MY GOSH! A BOOK HAS SOMETHING I DON'T LIKE IN IT! THAT'S NOT RIGHT! AHHH!! (The capital letters are not true for me by the way.)
Harriet the Spy is a really good book. EVERYONE should read it!!!!!!!!!!! : )

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed , VERY!
Review: 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.