Artist: Louise Fitzhugh
Confronting Bodies: Parents, teachers, librarians and literary critics across the United States
Date of Action: 1964 to present
Specific Location: United States
Description of Artwork: "Harriet the Spy" is a children's book about a young girl, Harriet, who wants to become a spy. She gets into trouble when she writes harsh criticisms about her classmates in her journal and is caught. Harriet gets advice from her nanny, Ole Golly, to lie about what she wrote.
Description of Incident: "Harriet the Spy" recieved praise from Library Journal, the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books and the New York Times Book Review. However, other critics rebuked the story for its alleged immorality, refering to the advice given by Ole Golly. Libraries and schools across the United States created committees to decide whether or not to offer the book. Parents and teachers claimed that children were and would begin to imitate Harriet's window peeping
Results of Incident: "Harriet the Spy" has been removed from library shelves across the United States.
Source: Censorship, A World Encyclopedia, ed. D. Jones
Submitted By: NCAC
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