Louise Fitzhugh

Louise Fitzhugh was an American author and illustrator who wrote three renowned books which continue to stand the test of time. Born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1928, Fitzhugh was a writer and an artist from an early age. She developed a love of writing after her father bought her a typewriter at five years old.

Fitzhugh’s first book, Harriet The Spy, was published in 1964 and established her as a children’s author. Set in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the main protagonist of the book is an 11-year-old girl named Harriet M. Welsch, who lives a life of observation, full of secret observations of those around her, which she logs in her notebook. Though popular with young readers, the book was also praised for its frank and honest exploration of teen life.

Fitzhugh followed up the success of Harriet The Spy with the novel The Long Secret in 1965. Written in the style of a detective story, The Long Secret further explored the questions raised by the previous novel in regards to teen development. Harriet and her friends form a secret investigation club, dedicated to unravelling the secrets of the adults around them, and discover a range of secrets, including an affair between two of the adults in their lives.

Fitzhugh’s third and final book, Nobody’s Family is Going to Change, was published in 1976 and follows the story of Chinese-American Elmira Trumbull, a young girl from Mississippi who is adopted into an affluent New York City family. Elmira is introduced to Upper East Side life, which she finds both fascinating and strange in some aspects. The book explores themes such as identity, adoption and interracial relationships. It was well-received by critics and was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Fitzhugh continued writing for television for the rest of her life, and her final novel, Fatal Attraction, was published in a magazine after her death in 1974. In 1976, The New York Times Book Review credited Fitzhugh as “a major new voice in children’s literature”.

Louise Fitzhugh’s legacy has been enduring and her work continues to be read and studied to this day. Fitzhugh was ahead of her time in the way that she explored numerous topics and personal clashes which still resonate in contemporary society. Her books have stood the test of time, informing the views and attitudes of modern readers, and are an essential part of any collection of children’s literature.