Good

I love Harriet! I didn’t realize there were sequels to Harriet the Spy. Now I want to read them all! If I had a daughter like Harriet I would pull my hair out, but she’s so much fun to meet in fiction. (Oh wait- was I a daughter like that? Is that why I love Harriet?! Oh help.)

I liked the first one better

Oh my! Well, Harriet is quite the grown up middle schooler discussing such subjects as kissing, romance and pregnancy. There is a drug reference in the book as well and it shocked me to say the least. It started out very slowly, I practically paced waiting for Ole Golly to come back and when she did I was sorry she did come back! The lack of dialogue between Harriet and Ole Golly is unnerving and horribly wrong. Her mother changes from a caring and concerned parent from the first book to a flake who speaks French and can't remember th time zone changes in this book. Janie is no where to be found, Sport is just barely there and is just barely acting like Sport. Harriet's new friend is positively brutal and rude, a girl that no one should model herself after. She mocks Harriet and goes under so many false names she seriously needs her head examined. Yet, the end leaves us, once again, with Ole Golly leaving and Harriet wondering about the inevitable future and it's mysteries. There she sits on the floor after a highly eventful Thanksgiving with her new "friend" and ponders what will be next and bam the book is over. Let down much? And what kid is going to know what an amniocentesis is? And what kid is going to know why a pregnant woman needs to bring in a urine sample? Ugh, the flaws are endless. Giving it two stars was painful. This was an imposter of a novel.

I'm amazed that an author can pick up another author's story and continue it so well. I really liked the new character added, and, while I saw a lot of the twists coming, they were still fun to read. My only complaint about this book is that I wasn't sure what year it was. At times I thought it was still the 1960s, but other times it seemed to be at least 20 years later. I think that's an effect of what this new author was trying to do and it didn't really take away from the story, but it did distract me at times.

I feel a certain loyalty to Harriet, since the original Harriet the Spy was one of my favorite books as a kid. I had my doubts about the two sequels, each written by different authors after Louis Fitzhugh's too-soon death, but both did a fairly good job of staying true to the spirit of Harriet.

Harriet Spies Again feels a little empty, as there is very little spying, note taking or interaction with Harriet's friends, and the whole Ole Golly reunion falls kind of flat. Also, it may have been less obvious what was going on with Ole Golly to a younger reader, but to me it was pretty predictable.

The other sequel, Harriet the Spy Double Agent, is a bit better than Spies Again, because Harriet is more her old note-taking self and spends more time talking to Sport, who himself is going through his own turmoil what with his dad's new wife, being in love, and sprouting a few facial hairs. Double Agent also hints (maybe as a tribute to Fitzhugh?) at Harriet's budding sexuality as she discovers and ruminates about her own feelings about Sport, Ole Golly, and her new intriguing friend and spy partner, Annie Smith, who has created three names and personalities for herself and has a few secrets of her own.

Missing from both books is Fitzhugh's wry wit, but these sequels are worth a read if, as a now-grown adult fan, you can ignore that feeling that you're visiting a ghost. It's nice, but leaves you feeling a tiny bit empty.

a little boring

"Harriet Spies Again" amuses as a child tries to interpret and solve grownup problems. First conclusions are bigger than life, but solutions are more simple and effective than an adult could ever manage. Harriet is an unforgettable character (I first read about her in "Harriet the Spy," over twenty years ago), and I couldn't wait to read more of her adventures. The characters who support her add just as much charm to the story. This book's impact goes beyond the story itself as I find myself inspired to create lists of strong verbs and make a 30-page timeline, outlining where my life has taken me.

Sure it's different in tone than the original Harriet, but I enjoyed it still. My daughter LOLed a few times.

In this book, there is a girl named Harriet who thinks she is a spy. To be honest, she really is a good spy. She has two friends. Sport and Janie. She attends Gregory School. One day, when she was working on her timeline of her life, her parents called her. She went downstairs. Her parents told her the exciting news. They were going to Paris for three months! Harriet was angry. She did not want to go. She admitted that. Her parents explained they were not going to take her. Harriet then felt a little sad. Her parents were going to Paris and not taking her! That meant she would be left at home with a boring old Cook. But on weekends, Cook is going to her house! Who would look after her? When it was time to eat she talked to Cook. They talked about the other people like the Feigenbaums. The Feigenbaums want to steal cook from Harriet’s family, the Welsches. Cook said they offered her full pay. However, Harriet’s mom talked her into staying. Then she asked Cook if her mother left, and Cook left on weekends who would take care of her on weekends? Cook seemed surprised Harriet didn’t yet know the news. Olle Golly is coming back! She told Harriet. Harriet was SOOO happy! Olle Golly was her nanny or something that was taking care of her before she found a boyfriend and moved to Montreal together. Harriet couldn’t wait to see her again! Maybe she could ask her about marriage with George Waldenstein, her boyfriend and now husband. She then wondered about siblings and what they would do if she had one. Right now, she used the phone. She usually phones her best friends, Sport and Janie. Olle Golly uses it to phone her mother and George. Harriet used it now to communicate with Sport. They talked about Sport’s new mother and school. (Harriet is very worried about Sport fitting in his new school.) Harriet then told sport the outstanding news that Olle Golly was coming back. Sport was as exciting as she was! Harriet was also preparing for Olle Golly’s arrival. She was going to prepare her bedroom and everything. Then, her mother appeared into her room just when she was working on her timeline! Harriet did not want her mother to know about her timeline. She would be uncertain about it. So she told a lie. She then spent her next few days, spying on the Feigenbaums, writing in her notebook, talking on the telephone and preparing for Olle Golly’s arrival. Sadly, Harriet’s mother told her to forget about George. Olle Golly says they must not talk about him. Harriet wanted to know so much about him though! During one of the Feigenbaum's spy cases she made a more or less friend called Rosarita Sauvage. Rosarita and Harriet might have something in common. She is just so strange. Rosarita knows Harriet’s phone number. They communicate by telephone. Harriet wrote Olle Golly returns in her time line too. Soon, Olle Golly actually returns! Harriet just had enough time to prepare for her arrival. Decorating and stuff. During her return, Harriet hugs her and does a lot more things I guess. However, after a while, she notices Olle Golly has changed. She is sad. She doesn’t want her to change and be sad. And about Rosarita, has she created a new friend or a new problem? What will Harriet do?

Hey everyone,if you like a good mystery book and shocking and a book you cant put down, well look for Harriet spies again

Book #80 Read in 2014
Harriet Spies Again by Helen Ericson (YA)

This is a companion novel to the children's classic book, Harriet the Spy, and continues Harriet's story. Ericson stays true to the original writing style and character development. Harriet is still a quirky young detective, about to turn 12 and trying to figure out the mysteries around her. Ole Golly, her nanny of sorts, has returned to New York and Harriet feels there is more to that story than she has been told. Thanksgiving arrives and Harriet has set things up to try to solve all of the mysteries.

Reading this book was like visiting a childhood friend. Harriet's voice was the same. It was a good, quick read.

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