[From an Amazon.com review:]
When I was in the the 3rd grade, my teacher read a variety of books to us in class, one of which being Harriet The Spy. I can honestly say it changed my life. I was new in this class (I arrived in March of that year, 1990) and felt very lonely. Harriet’s alienation from her classmates was something I could relate to. I loved the book then and I love it now. It was first read to me ten years ago (almost to the day) and I decided to become a writer after experiencing the book (way back in 3rd grade). I love this book and The Long Secret. Harriet The Spy deals almost exclusively with Harriet and her emotions while The Long Secret focuses a bit more on Beth Ellen and her perceptions of the world (including those of Harriet, which are certainly interesting). I love these books. I used to spy on my neighbors all the time when I was a kid and keep spy notebooks. I’d recommend Harriet The Spy and The Long Secret to anyone since they’re kids books that literally any age group can enjoy.