Book Notes

The Betsy-Tacy Series by Maud Hart Lovelace

is one of my all-time favorites. It’s one I read over and over as a girl, and I’ve returned to it as an adult as well.

Set in the early 1900s, each book is about a year in the life of Besty Ray, and her adventures with her best friend Tacy Kelly. It chronicles their elementary school adventures, then makes a beautiful transition to their high school years. Eventually, Betsy goes abroad, touring the world during the year before The Great War breaks out in Europe. In the final book, we find her marrying her high school sweetheart and learning what it takes to make a marriage work. There are also several books that branch off into the points of view of periphery characters.

The fun part of this series is that it is largely autobiographical. In fact, Sharla Scannell Whalen’s The Besty Tacy Companion identifies all the real-world counterparts to Lovelace’s characters and walks us through the parallels between Betsy’s life and the author’s.

The books are appropriate for any age, and I highly recommend them!

Books in the Series

Betsy-Tacy

Betsy, Tacy & Tib

Winona’s Pony Cart

Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill

Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown

Heavens to Betsy

Betsy in Spite of Herself

Betsy Was a Junior

Betsy and Joe

Carney’s House Party

Emily of Deep Valley

Betsy and the Great World

Betsy’s Wedding