13. Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh

Harriet Welsch goes around spying on people and writing everything she observes in a notebook, but when her classmates find the notebook, trouble ensues.

Harriet makes me think of a young Lois Lane -- curious about everything (including things people would rather she didn't stick her nose into), takes risks to learn things, and when her notes are read, the fur flies.


"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”

- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland