Harriet the Spy, Double Agent

Harriet's observations about the world around her are insightful, and spawn great conversations with my eight year old. My daughter, however, is a bit disappointed that there are no real mysteries in this book. It is mostly, as she puts it, a book about a girl rudely paying attention to everyone else's business. The author creates a good balance though; the reader is well aware that Harriet is being inappropriate, but can still empathize with Harriet's feelings. I love that Harriet the Spy's adventures are clean fun, yet still entertaining and interesting.

Spying is a solitary activity. No one knows that better than twelve-year-old Harriet M. Welsch. Harriet has been spying on people and taking notes since she could write. Egged on by her old caretaker, Ole Golly, she has filled dozens and dozens of notebooks over the years; and has no plans to stop her spy route anytime soon. In fact, lately she has begun to add new people to her spy route; one of those people being Annie Smith. New to the neighborhood, Annie is living with her aunt and uncle, the Drs. Feigenbaum, and she has more secrets than Harriet can even believe. For one, Annie Smith is not just Annie Smith. She is also Yolanda Montezuma, Rosarita Sauvage, Zoe Carpaccio, and, as of late, Cassandra D'Amore. And two, Sport, one of Harriet's best friends since forever, has fallen head over heels in love with Yolanda Montezuma, the victim of seeing her wearing a particularly dashing pair of green shoes the first day they met. Harriet quickly becomes obsessed with Annie, and the fact that she was booted out of Sport's school, and enrolled in the Gregory School, alongside Harriet. She also can't get Annie's penchant for creating various characters and names for herself, and decides that learning all of Annie's secrets is her new mission. Unfortunately, Annie isn't very interested in revealing secrets about herself. So Harriet decides to go where no spy has ever gone before. She takes Annie on as a partner, and together they begin spying on various people throughout the neighborhood. It is Harriet's hope that with all of this spying, Annie will begin revealing some secrets of her own. So is not the case. While Harriet loves the fact that she has a new friend, she can't help but wonder why Annie is so determined to keep so many secrets from her. While Harriet is stewing over this new predicament, she begins to realize that Annie has been untruthful regarding where she goes on weekends, and who, exactly, she has been meeting up with. Harriet knows that it's wrong to spy on friends, but she can't deny her curiosity. So, she begins to follow Annie when she leaves the house for secret outings and trysts with two older men. Unfortunately, Sport's crush; Janie's obsession with a pop star who is way out of her league; the constant kissing between Fabio and Naima - two people on her spy route; Annie's reports of being in love with an older man; and Ole Golly's sudden departure after meeting and marrying George Waldenstein; Harriet finds herself obsessed with love and crushes. She can't seem to figure out why they happen. And why, suddenly, every girl in her grade has become possessed with finding a boyfriend, and proclaiming their love to one another. Of course, she also can't quite put her finger on why, exactly, she hasn't been bitten by the crush bug. In a way, Harriet feels left out of the loop. But, at the same time, she's glad to still have her sanity. Too bad she can't say the same for Annie. I fell in love with Louise Fitzhugh's HARRIET THE SPY ove

Harriet M. Welsch was recently torn apart when ole Golly left! Now she found out Ole Golly is coming back but is sad and innocent! No longer with Mr. waldenstein. Ole Golly sneaks across to Harriet's neighbors the Feigenbeins to see Dr. F. a Psychiatrist. Sprot has a girlfriend and is growing some facial hair! HArriet meets a stange girl living with the feignbeins - Rosa Rita Savage. Harriet works up a plan and the story ends with one exciting ending! They whole book is so good although they did change Harriet a bit which makes me a little upset but it does not change things too much. They also forgot her regular spy route and put a lot of Mental Health and Psychiatry into the book, other than that I could NOT PUT IT DOWN!!! Worth reading! Oh and just to let you know Harriet's parents leave for 3 months!

I loved the scenes in the zoo, all around NYC -- Harriet is an ideal friend, because she is up for anything! I read this without stopping...Could not put it down!

This new Harriet is double the fun, twice the fun of most YA books because the author Maya Gold has a real flair and literary gift. Harriet is more sparky than ever and the NYC setting is especially well defined and written. I devoured it, with suitable Harriet styled snacks! Delicious fun!