The Long Secret (Harriet The Spy)

This book focuses on Beth Ellen and develops her character which began undergoing changes at the end of "Harriet the Spy." Topics relevant to preteens and early teens are covered such menstruation, absentee parenting, people being not what they seem. Once again we are shown Harriet is not always a nice person, but also other characters are seen in a different light. As a child, this book grabbed me from the first page when a character received a note that stated, "Jesus hates you." I was so shocked that anyone would even say those words that I had to read on. Janie's explanation of what a menstrual cycle is was so simple and should be required reading for all girls it nailed it without too many details; she also flatly told her friends what it wasn't and why adults would make up such stories. Fitzhugh never lost touch with her inner adolescence and created very believable characters. I recommend this book to everyone who read "Harriet the Spy" and to all who are the innocent victims in a custody battle... it's always nice to know you're not the only one going through that pain.

I remember reading Harriet years ago and now that she’s a star again on Apple TV, my granddaughter is enjoying her too!

Louise makes her characters come alive. Harriet is older in this book. She is on summer vacation along with her friend Beth Ellen. Someone is secretly leaving rather pointed quotes around town. Of course Harriet has to find out who is doing this

Harriet the Spy is growing up, still trying to observe people and connect the dots. She's usually in such a hurry that she misses information that's right in front of her. At her family's summer place in Long Island, she spends time with Beth Ellen. Beth Ellen's reintroduction to her mother is a central part of the story, as is one of the most frank and funny discussion about periods. Another wry, honest episode in the life of HTS.

love this book read as a kid and bought for my kids.

I loved how entertaining it was and I never would of guessed the note leaver was . . . .

Bought this for my granddaughter and decided to read it first. As a huge Harriet the Spy love I was quite looking forward to it. This book appeared to be written by another author as far as I could tell. The magic was missing, the entire story was quite negatively written as well. I threw the book out when I was done, as I don't want my granddaughter reading such negativity.

The book was in worse shape than I expected.

The original Harriet the Spy had such rich language and imagery that it provoked thoughts and imagination for young readers (good bedtime story). But the main character, Harriet, was not that likeable as she was tackling her own judgmentalism. In this book they largely deal with the issue of extreme religion (both those who are secular and worship materialism and those who promote extreme beliefs but whose lives and characters do not reflect those beliefs). The characters are less relatable, but it nicely shows how even people who seem shallow have their own stuff going on and closes off several character stories.

If you are thinking that this book will be like Harriet the Spy, well, set that aside. Harriet is in the book, but it's primarily about Harriet's "mousey" friend Beth Ellen, whom we meet briefly in the first book. Beth's family must have defined the contemporary use of "dysfunctional," and the portrayal of Beth Ellen's somewhat traumatic young life is sympathetically handled (to the extent that one wonders how much of Beth Ellen reflects Fitzhugh's own upbringing). Harriet, somewhat refreshingly, is less likable here, in that she is not the centre of the author's attentions; as a secondary character, her annoying habits become ever more so. But that's okay as it throws Beth Ellen into sharp relief. Some serious issues are subtly brought to the fore, such as race and class, and in that the book is almost more adult in its concerns, though still wholly suitable for all children who should know more about how such issues resound in our societies.

I relieved my schoolboy days with this follow up to "Harriet the Spy."