Harriet the Spy

Hmmmm. I know this is a classic of children's literature, but. Hmmmm.

I L-O-V-E loved the Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O'Donnell movie when I was a kid, and had it running through my head a lot while I was reading (why can I remember so very much of a movie I haven't seen in 20 years but can't remember what happened earlier this week?). But although Harriet in the movie wanted to be a spy and wrote lots of things down in her notebook that were mean, she had (to the best of my remembrance) a redemption arc and some personal growth. Book Harriet doesn't really have a redemption arc, and it seems like her friends only go back to hanging out with her because the Spy Catcher's Club is worse?

Book Harriet is CRUEL for literally no reason, and very petulant for an 11-year-old. Her parents are never around and make no attempt to know what's going on in her life, leaving Harriet in the service of a nurse and a cook, neither of whom seem to like her much, so I see why she would act out in these ways, but ... she's just not a nice or pleasant person to be around at any point. She refers to one girl as someone who might grow up to be a “Lady Hitler” and describes classmates moving as if they were in the Gestapo, and that stuff Does Not Hold Up Well (and really, shouldn't have even been acceptable in the '60s when it was published).

I didn't know until the end of the book that this was actually a series, but I think I've had enough of Harriet M. Welsch. I wish this had been better. 2.5 stars.