Just Harriet

by Elana K. Arnold Narrated by Taylor Meskimen

Overview

From the award-winning author of A Boy Called Bat comes a new young middle grade series in the tradition of Ramona and Clementine, starring an unforgettable girl named Harriet.

There are a few things you should know about Harriet Wermer:

• She just finished third grade.
• She has a perfect cat named Matzo Ball.
• She doesn't always tell the truth.
• She is very happy to be spending summer vacation away from home and her mom and dad and all the wonderful things she had been planning all year.

Okay, maybe that last one isn't entirely the truth.

Of course, there's nothing Harriet doesn't like about Marble Island, the small island off the coast of California where her nanu runs a cozy little bed and breakfast. And nobody doesn't love Moneypenny, Nanu's old basset hound. But Harriet doesn't like the fact that Dad made this decision without even asking her.

When Harriet arrives on Marble Island, however, she discovers that it's full of surprises, and even a mystery. One that seems to involve her Dad, back when he was a young boy living on Marble Island. One that Harriet is absolutely going to solve. And that's the truth.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A gentle, slow-moving summer adventure that’s big on character growth." — School Library Journal

School Library Journal

01/01/2022

Gr 2–4—On the last day of third grade, Harriet's pregnant mother is put on strict bed rest until the baby comes—which isn't supposed to happen until August. This, coupled with her father's busy work schedule, is the reason why Harriet is shipped off to her grandmother's bed-and-breakfast on Marble Island for the entire summer. As much as Harriet loves the island and her Nanu, she is understandably angry at the situation and struggles to adapt. Her first-person narration showcases her conflicting actions as she tries to understand her complex and deep emotions. She also searches for a treasure her father mentioned, discovering facts about his childhood and realizing that there is more to him than she thought. Frequent black-and-white illustrations depict characters as white. Harriet is cued as Jewish. The slow, leisurely pace of Harriet's adventures, as well as her significant emotional growth in making peace with her situation and father, will have readers thinking a whole summer has passed, but the book spans less than two weeks. VERDICT A gentle, slow-moving summer adventure that's big on character growth; a sweet additional purchase.—Jennifer Rothschild

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2021-12-03
Third grader Harriet is convinced that she’s in for a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad summer.

Her mother is having a difficult pregnancy, so Harriet is getting shipped off for the summer to stay with her grandmother who runs a bed-and-breakfast on Marble Island. She’s always loved short visits to the tranquil island with her parents, but spending two whole months there without them means change, and Harriet does not like change. She especially doesn’t like the idea of getting a new sibling. Fortunately, she’s got her beloved cat Matzo Ball to keep her company on Marble Island, and when she finds a beautiful old key in her grandmother’s shed, things start to pick up. Suddenly, there’s a mystery to be solved, one involving her dad’s childhood on the island and Miss Marble, the witty centenarian who is the island’s namesake. And when Harriet befriends a sharp-eyed ornithologist whom everyone calls Captain, she discovers that there’s as much to learn about herself as there is about the island’s history. A flawed but intriguing heroine from the start, Harriet’s stubbornness, hot temper, and habit of lying will undoubtedly draw comparisons to the titular character in Beverly Cleary’s Ramona series. Cranky,crotchety kids will find a kindred spirit in this young girl who longs to be understood and to understand the puzzling world of adults. Meanwhile, the mystery of the antique key yields a solution better than a secret garden. All major characters read as White.

An engaging series opener about the power of truth to moor and free even the sulkiest of souls. (Fiction. 7-10)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176223231
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/01/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

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