Harriet the Spy

Since it is banned book week, I wanted to find a book that was banned for no apparent reason. I scanned the list, and came across "Harriet the Spy".
This is a book that not only I enjoyed, but was a book my sister and I could share without arguments. A rare tome indeed!
Harriet was a young girl who wanted to grow up to be a writer and a spy.  So every day, after school Harriet puts on her spy clothes,  jeans, a hoodie, eye glasses without the glass in them <because they made her look smart>, and most importantly her notebook. Then she spies on her neighbors while writing candid observations about how she views them. The year Harriet enters sixth grade two things occur which profoundly affect her. One is, her nanny, Ole Golly, decides Harriet doesn't need her anymore, and leaves, The other is her classmates find her notebook.
The entire class becomes angry at Harriet because of what she writes about them. Harriet is ostracized and picked on in turns. Nowadays the bullying would bring down directors, counselors, the police and news reporters.  But back in 1964 bullied children were left to deal with it on their own. Harriet struggles through sixth grade with the other children making life miserable. Finally her grades suffer, and in desperation her parents send her to a child psychologist. Although Harriet is unimpressed with him, he actually turns out to be a very smart man. Because of him,  Harriet becomes her class newspaper editor, but more importantly, Harriet's nanny, Ole Golly's writes her a letter that changes things for Harriet. \
I love Harriet's character. Harriet is full of self confidence, even with the other children picking on her. Her self confidence makes her unafraid to take chances. She holds her head up throughout the school year and continues to respect herself even though no one else does.  In her own words she says:
"WHEN I GROW UP I WILL BE A SPY. I WILL BE THE BEST SPY THERE EVER WAS AND I WILL KNOW EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING."
Harriet got a harsh life lesson but she teaches as much as she learns.
The book was banned in 1983 by a school in Ohio because they thought it set a bad example for children. Harriet "talked back", swore <I don't actually remember any swearing> and walked around spying on people. The excuses people make for banning books borderlines psychotic sometimes. It would be so much smarter to read the book first, then discuss it with your children, but of course actually reading a book would go against the grain of the Thought Police. 
"Harriet the Spy" is a great book. Funny, exciting and insightful. Read it and find out!