It’s the birthday of Louise Fitzhugh (1928-1974), best known as the author and illustrator of the children’s novel Harriet the Spy (1964). Harriet the Spy’s main character is an intrepid sixth grade tomboy who mercilessly (and hilariously) records the truth as she sees it in her spy notebook/journal. The book was a game changer in children’s publishing, departing wildly from fiction that nearly always portrayed adults in a positive light, and as such was often banned.

Fitzhugh was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and largely raised by her father and stepmother; she rarely saw her mother. She had a lonely childhood and eventually studied at Bard College in New York (though not completing a degree), and also studied art in Italy and France before studying at the Art Students League and Cooper Union in New York City. In 1961, Fitzhugh did the illustrations for Suzuki Beane (by Sandra Scoppettone), a satire of the Eloise books; the book is now considered a collectible and can be bought on Amazon for a mere $247.01 in hardcover.

Harriet the Spy was Fitzhugh’s first novel and she did the illustrations herself. In addition to being banned, the novel won the 1964 New York Times Outstanding Book Award. In the book, Harriet’s notes always appear in ALL CAPS and are brutally honest whether she’s discussing her best friends Sport and Janie or her rich, hypochondriacal neighbor Mrs. Plumber. When her friends and classmates discover her notebook and read what she really thinks of them, trouble ensues: she is ostracized, her tomato sandwiches are stolen every day at school, and the other kids start a Spy Catchers Club. (Harriet’s parents take her to a psychiatrist at one point, and the scene where she plays monopoly with him is golden.) By the end of the book, Harriet has learned a tiny bit about compassion but more importantly has learned that it’s possible (and necessary) to fudge the truth out of kindness while remaining true to oneself.

Harriet was followed by a sequel, The Long Secret (1965), and Nobody’s Family Is Going to Change (1974). Several of her books were published posthumously: I Am Five (1978), Sport (1979, another sequel), I Am Four (1982), and I Am Three (1982).

Fitzhugh, who lived in New York City for most of her adult life and also had a house in Bridgewater, Connecticut, was very briefly married early on but mostly had relationships with women. Many lesbians and even just women who were tomboys have said that reading about Harriet helped them feel it was okay to be different; the novel also inspired many girls to get a notebook and start spying. Fitzhugh died at 46 of a brain aneurism.

(Full disclosure: Harriet the Spy is one of my favorite novels, children or adult. It’s a thick, substantive novel, absolutely original and very funny. I also found it to be a great window into the New York City of Harriet’s day, where she could walk into a diner and order an egg cream.)

Have a great Friday (thank goodness it’s Friday) and stay scrupulously honest to the data.