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Harriet the Spy

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Fans of the book will want to see this film.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The loss of Harriet's nanny, Golly, is sad. So is her estrangement from her friends. Harriet learns to be more caring for her friends.
  • Violence:

    Not an issue.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Some childish vulgarities but no profanity.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Harriet the Spy

Parents need to know that fans of the eponymous book will love watching an updated Harriet explore her world and write what she sees. The film, aimed at 9- to 12-year-olds, will have these kids squirming in their seats when Harriet meets her Waterloo. But older kids who loved the book will want to see it, too.

Read our full review by M. Faust

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how they've have handled being treated badly at school and how they treat their own friends. Parents won't want children imitating Harriet's attempts to seek revenge on the kids who have ostracized her or Janie's "scientific" experiments.

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 2.0

    My nine-year-old daughter sat with tears streaming down her face while watching the cruel behavior of Harriet's classmates when they turned on her. No happy ending makes up for that.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Iowa
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0

    I lived the Life of Harriet the Spy

    When I was nine years old, my mother first read to me the book Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. I was enthralled by the thought that this young girl could be a spy. Then, when I was introduced to the movie a year later I lived the life of Harriet. It inspired me to start a journal in which I recorded every around me so that I wouldn't miss anything. It took me months to sign my own name at the bottom instead of Harriet M. Welsh. The movie is full of kid-friendly humor and has a great story line. A must see for any child.

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