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Harriet the Spy Adventure Series #1
Harriet Spies Again
Harriet M. Welsch has just received the best news of her eleventh year—Ole Golly is coming back! Harriet can still remember how sad she was when her beloved nanny married George Waldenstein and moved away. But the circumstances of Ole Golly’s return remain unclear. Where is George Waldenstein?
With Mr. and Mrs. Welsch living in France for three months, Sport confiding that he has a crush on a girl at school, and the arrival of a mysterious new neighbor, who’s going to require a whole lot of spying, Harriet already has her hands full. Then she overhears Ole Golly saying she’s innocent—but innocent of what? Harriet the Spy is on the case and ready to help Ole Golly in any way she can.
With Mr. and Mrs. Welsch living in France for three months, Sport confiding that he has a crush on a girl at school, and the arrival of a mysterious new neighbor, who’s going to require a whole lot of spying, Harriet already has her hands full. Then she overhears Ole Golly saying she’s innocent—but innocent of what? Harriet the Spy is on the case and ready to help Ole Golly in any way she can.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
February 4, 2018
Let's just say this crapped all over my childhood. Regardless of good intent, Harriet is not Harriet and Ole Golly is not Ole Golly and this is a farce. Harriet does not beg for hugs or talk about wanting to be a spy. She IS a spy. Ole Golly doesn't *discuss* greeting card sentiment. It is beneath her. She discusses literature, and without calling attention to it. Mr. Waldenstein would NEVER have consistently lied and gambled. Harriet would not have gotten dumber as she got older. Come on, people.
If you liked this book, you clearly did not read the original. You're entitled to your opinion, but I'm sorry, you are wrong.
If you liked this book, you clearly did not read the original. You're entitled to your opinion, but I'm sorry, you are wrong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2013
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.
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.
January 6, 2023
I liked when she found out Ole Golly was having a baby!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2020
I was BETRAYED by my own habit of never reading the covers or titles of books and therefore did not realise this was by??? a DIFFERENT AUTHOR???? my own feelings aside this was actually pretty good but the BETRAYAL knocks it down a star.
October 28, 2015
Great story. I loved Harriet as a kid and this book brought all of it back for me. I listened to the audio version narrated Anne Bobby.
December 14, 2017
I have a strong love for Harriet M. (For Middle) Welsh. She has quickly become one of my favorite literary characters. Not to mention Roserita was a STUPENDOUS addition to the books. She balances Harriet very well and I LOVE HER. And I loved the return of Ole Golly. And Cook. And Sport. Basically everyone in this book was so much fun. Harriet was also creating a timeline of her life and it was fun seeing her reflect on “the big moments”.
Everyone needs these in their life (also am I the only one who wants an adult Harriet the Spy novel??)
Everyone needs these in their life (also am I the only one who wants an adult Harriet the Spy novel??)
February 5, 2019
AWESOME!
August 18, 2020
Harriet the Spy being one of my childhood favorites, I was doubtful that this companion book (written by a different author) could be anywhere near as good as the original. But she nails it! Helen Ericsson channels Louise Fitzhugh beautifully in this delightfully funny and thoughtful book.
June 16, 2020
My kids love Harriet the Spy
April 9, 2009
I'm shocked but I really liked 'Harriet Spies Again.' Shocked because it's an ersatz 'Harriet' created in 2002, nearly 40 years after the original and over 30 years after Louise Fitzhugh's death. A student of mine had to pick a 'classic' to read, defined as being over 25 years old and still in print, and this somehow slipped under the wire. I was prepared for disappointment, but Helen Ericson really captures the spirit and flavor of 'Harriet the Spy," and produces a work just as charming as it is. The unique Sport, Old Golly and Cook return (Old Golly in mysterious and surprising fashion), and there's a new character who goes under a number of different aliases, my favorite of which was Yolanda Montezuma. Great fun.
August 13, 2012
I wasn't sure what to think of this book, going in. A different author from the original? Written in 2002 instead of the 1960s? How were they going to reconcile the changes in technology, womens' rolls and pop culture?
I was pleased with the result. Harriet is still young enough that a lot of technology talk was avoided. The characters of Cook and Ole Golly were true to the original book, without being overtly sexist. The new author is obviously a huge 'Harriet the Spy' fan and I enjoyed the story (although not as much as the original).
I'll probably read the other books I just found out existed ('Sport' and 'Harriet the Spy, Double Agent') even though they won't be as satisfying as my favorite children's book of all time, 'Harriet the Spy'.
I was pleased with the result. Harriet is still young enough that a lot of technology talk was avoided. The characters of Cook and Ole Golly were true to the original book, without being overtly sexist. The new author is obviously a huge 'Harriet the Spy' fan and I enjoyed the story (although not as much as the original).
I'll probably read the other books I just found out existed ('Sport' and 'Harriet the Spy, Double Agent') even though they won't be as satisfying as my favorite children's book of all time, 'Harriet the Spy'.
September 29, 2021
This is a dreadful sequel. Readers need to realize that the author of the classic Harriet the Spy did not have anything to do with the writing of this book. It was approved by the late author’s estate.
None of it has the spark, wit and energy of the original.
New characters like “Rosarito Sauvage” are infuriating and obnoxious.
Great existing characters like Harriet, Ole Golly and Sport seem nothing like previous books.
Odd contemporary mentions of things like “Fine Point Sharpies” seem ridiculously out of the timeline of the original novel.
Reread the original Fitzhugh book. You’ll be far better off than wasting time on this “fan fiction” poor imitation of the original.
None of it has the spark, wit and energy of the original.
New characters like “Rosarito Sauvage” are infuriating and obnoxious.
Great existing characters like Harriet, Ole Golly and Sport seem nothing like previous books.
Odd contemporary mentions of things like “Fine Point Sharpies” seem ridiculously out of the timeline of the original novel.
Reread the original Fitzhugh book. You’ll be far better off than wasting time on this “fan fiction” poor imitation of the original.
August 14, 2017
Biggest problems I had with this book:
-Ole Golly did not act like Ole Golly
-Harriet M. Welsch did not act like herself either.
-Ole Golly did not act like Ole Golly
-Harriet M. Welsch did not act like herself either.
August 15, 2020
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?
September 19, 2020
I have loved Harriet The Spy since I was young, and have only now discovered that there were sequels. I've been having difficulty getting Sport for a reasonable price, but I've managed to purchase The Long Secret and the two reboots/reimaginings by Helen Ericson and Maya Gold.
The book is only 230 pages long, with a preview of the original Harriet The Spy tacked on at the end. I think for this one, Helen Ericson has now a really good job of sticking closely to the original Louise Fitzhugh work, while bringing in new characters, and bringing back old characters. Sadly, the line drawings I loved so much from my copy are sadly missing, as I think these were potentially drawn by Louise Fitzhugh herself. The cover art has been slightly modernised, while still inkeeping with "my" version of Harriet.
There's not as much note taking in this one, which was the thing I suppose I really loved about the original book. Instead, Helen has moved slightly away from the infamous notebooks, to Harriet making a "timeline" of her life, from birth to her current age at the end of the book of 12. This includes all sorts of "headlines" throughout the ever increasing sheets of paper.
Harriet also makes a new friend in this, who we'll find out more about in Double Agent. Sport still appears, although his father is now married (quite suddenly, even though the book seems to follow on shortly from the original work), however Janie does not appear and is only given the briefest of mentions. From what I've seen, The Long Secret appears to focus less on Harriet and more on Beth Ellen, so I'm not sure how that will be just yet, or how these reimaginings fit into the timeline.
Ole Golly also comes back and Cook is cantankerous as always (I still think she has a secret soft spot for Harriet). Harriet's parents disappear for the majority of the book, thankfully, to warrant bringing back Ole Golly.
There's nothing in this that a child would not/could not understand, and there's only the briefest mention of puberty, in the form of Harriet spotting hair on Sport's top lip. So this will be fine to read for a child, there's no adult overtures.
While I don't think it has the same magic as the original, the author has still done a good job capturing the tone and clearly knew the characters quite well. It's still worth picking up, to read as a follow on.
The book is only 230 pages long, with a preview of the original Harriet The Spy tacked on at the end. I think for this one, Helen Ericson has now a really good job of sticking closely to the original Louise Fitzhugh work, while bringing in new characters, and bringing back old characters. Sadly, the line drawings I loved so much from my copy are sadly missing, as I think these were potentially drawn by Louise Fitzhugh herself. The cover art has been slightly modernised, while still inkeeping with "my" version of Harriet.
There's not as much note taking in this one, which was the thing I suppose I really loved about the original book. Instead, Helen has moved slightly away from the infamous notebooks, to Harriet making a "timeline" of her life, from birth to her current age at the end of the book of 12. This includes all sorts of "headlines" throughout the ever increasing sheets of paper.
Harriet also makes a new friend in this, who we'll find out more about in Double Agent. Sport still appears, although his father is now married (quite suddenly, even though the book seems to follow on shortly from the original work), however Janie does not appear and is only given the briefest of mentions. From what I've seen, The Long Secret appears to focus less on Harriet and more on Beth Ellen, so I'm not sure how that will be just yet, or how these reimaginings fit into the timeline.
Ole Golly also comes back and Cook is cantankerous as always (I still think she has a secret soft spot for Harriet). Harriet's parents disappear for the majority of the book, thankfully, to warrant bringing back Ole Golly.
There's nothing in this that a child would not/could not understand, and there's only the briefest mention of puberty, in the form of Harriet spotting hair on Sport's top lip. So this will be fine to read for a child, there's no adult overtures.
While I don't think it has the same magic as the original, the author has still done a good job capturing the tone and clearly knew the characters quite well. It's still worth picking up, to read as a follow on.
March 23, 2024
Helen Ericson did a pretty impressive imitation of Louise Fitzhugh's writing style, but couldn't fully capture the magic of the real thing. And I have a few issues with the plot itself. For one thing, time felt a bit weirdly compressed between the original books and this one. Harriet Spies Again is explicitly set after the events of Sport but mostly still in Harriet's 11th year. So thinking back to all the other books, there is a heck of a lot going on in maybe just over a year of Harriet's life. Why not give some breathing room in the timeline and have this book start out after Harriet has turned twelve?
And while I didn't mind the idea of Ole Golly coming back for a time,
For what basically amounts to fanfiction, Harriet Spies Again is decent. Unfortunately, not quite good enough for any of its events to make it into my headcanon.
And while I didn't mind the idea of Ole Golly coming back for a time,
For what basically amounts to fanfiction, Harriet Spies Again is decent. Unfortunately, not quite good enough for any of its events to make it into my headcanon.
April 20, 2018
I was a disappointed. I've always liked Harriet, and I'd read that this sequel by a different author did justice to the original. I'm not sure I found that to be true. I listened to the first Harriet recently, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The audio for this sequel was read by the same person, but I felt like it was done a bit differently, even different voices for the same characters. Harriet had definitely grown up a bit, expected and maybe necessary, but I missed the Harriet I know, the one who had to learn that you have to figure out how to get along with everyone. Harriet is missing many of the qualities I loved, and I missed the observations of her school mates and neighbors in her notebook. Ole Golly, well, Ole Golly just wasn't herself at all, and I am not sure she should have been included here. Her character was totally different, not nearly as strong, and their relationship isn't at all the same. Maybe hoping for more of the same was an unattainable goal.
April 13, 2022
Harriet was basically raised by Ole Golly....until Golly got married to Mr. Waldenstein and moved to Montreal. With Harriets parents living in Paris for a few months Ole Golly comes back to take care of Harriet with one stipulation....no one can mention Mr. Waldenstein's name. That's too much for Harriet, she has to know what happened to the marriage. She is a spy so surely she can figure it out somehow. But Ole Golly won't answer any questions and no one else can help. Harriet find it strange that Ole Golly goes to see the doctor across the street carrying a small bag. What can that mean? Ole Golly is not herself. She 's sad, naps a lot and hides in her room. She's not like Harriet remembers. The spy in Harriet must get to the bottom of it.
April 1, 2020
Excellent Addition To The Harriet The Spy Book
Harriet the Spy is one of my favorite literary characters. In this story Harriet's parents go to France for 3 months. Harriet received a wonderful surprise when her parents hire back Ole Golly to stay with her. Ole Golly is not herself so Harriet goes on a spying mission to find out.
Harriet the Spy is one of my favorite literary characters. In this story Harriet's parents go to France for 3 months. Harriet received a wonderful surprise when her parents hire back Ole Golly to stay with her. Ole Golly is not herself so Harriet goes on a spying mission to find out.
October 5, 2022
I enjoyed this
Not quite as strong as the first three books, but still definitely worth reading!! There was less detail, which I missed, but still a lot of passages in Harriet's voice, which made reading them very worthwhile. Overall, I gave the book five stars, because, of course I would!!
Not quite as strong as the first three books, but still definitely worth reading!! There was less detail, which I missed, but still a lot of passages in Harriet's voice, which made reading them very worthwhile. Overall, I gave the book five stars, because, of course I would!!
October 17, 2025
I LOVE Harriet the spy and I was so sad when the first one was over.... until I figured out there was a 2nd and 3rd one! In this book you will join Harriet in figuring out why, when Ole Golly comes back she is so sad and just not like herself.
If you want to learn more about Harriet's friends go ahead and read The Long Secret and Simon Roque.
If you want to learn more about Harriet's friends go ahead and read The Long Secret and Simon Roque.
June 19, 2018
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.)
November 20, 2021
In this cute sequel, Harriet tries to figure out what has got Ole Golly so down and how to fix it for her.
A sweet story of childhood blunderings through the obvious and a love that cannot be ignored, I liked this novel way more than the original!
A sweet story of childhood blunderings through the obvious and a love that cannot be ignored, I liked this novel way more than the original!
May 6, 2023
This book is nowhere near as good as its predecessor, but what is? Harriet's parents have gone to Paris, and Ole Golly has returned to take care of Harriet for the duration. But Ole Golly has a big secret and Harriet has to spy until she finds out what it is.
September 2, 2025
This book was fun. I always loved Harriet the spy as a child. I didn't know till now though that there were different sequels writtten by a different author. it meshed very well and i'm glad i discovered them. I read this book for the prompt read a spy thriller (booklist queen 2025)
October 19, 2020
❤️❤️❤️ Harriet the Spy. Will definitely be reading more of these babies. ..... so FUN!!
December 12, 2024
I liked the first one better
October 23, 2025
I liked this book a lot but I didn’t give it a 5 star because it was a little confusing, all the different characters that girl that was Harriet’s friend was kinda annoying.
November 16, 2019
This book was fun because Harriet spied a lot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews