Little Women

New in books, two very interesting new works about what it's like to be a little girl. Donna Tartt's The Little Friend is quietly and beautifully written; there's not much here that's showy or that sparkles but, at the end, you realize that the little town of Alexandria, Mississippi is uncommonly well drawn and that our friend Harriet would be fun to know, even though we really have no idea what she'll be like when she grows up. Hayao Miyazak's Spirited Away is going to be remembered as a great film of the great year of 2002, much as Wizard of Oz adorns the landmark year of 1939. Alvin Liu's collection of The Art of Miyazaki's Spirited Away is fascinating.