From Pamela's list on midcentury groovy girls and freedom to read.
Louise Fitzhugh’s book Harriet the Spy was published in 1964, a little later than the others on my list. It has a younger protagonist but she is a model of proto-feminist girlhood for me. Harriet is an urban kid from an upper-class milieu with sophisticated taste. She has an imperious nanny who takes her on the subway to an art museum. Her parents are checked-out intellectuals so that Harriet is neglected in the best way, free to roam city streets. She is a tomboy and would-be writer who observes city life and people’s habits, not only in public spaces but by peeping into windows and even sneaking into homes. The narrative punishes her by having her friends discover all the terrible things she writes about them and shaming her. But she remains a likely writer.
Harriet the Spy
Why should I read it?
10 authors picked Harriet the Spy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
What is this book about?
First published in 1974, a title in which Harriet M. Welsch, aspiring author, keeps a secret journal in which she records her thoughts about strangers and friends alike, but when her friends find the notebook with all its revelations, Harriet becomes the victim of a hate campaign.