Customer Reviews

Betsy Was a Junior (Betsy-Tacy)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is amazing! Ive read all of the other preceding books in this short series, and I truly enjoyed this one. It was different in a way; Betsy's life was less Ideal in this story. Julia goes to college. Betsy forms Deep Valley's first sorority for her group of friends, which, unfortunately upsets other classmates. Read it so you can cry, laugh, and smile with Betsy and her friends.

When Maud Hart Lovelace first wrote the "Betsy-Tacy" seires, did she know how much so many people, from children to adults, would love them? The series has at least one book that anyone of any age can relate to. 10-year-olds will love "Over the big Hill," high-schoolers will love the books about when Betsy was attending Deep Valley High, etc. And it doesn't end there! Even if you're not the age that Betsy was in one of the books, you can still love all of them! Maud has a way of capturing real feelings and expiriences--even bad ones--and turning them into works of art. The "Betsy-Tacy" series really is a work of art, even if it was painted with a pen, not a paint brush.

Betsy Was a Junior evokes Betsy's year in the heart of high school, beginning with Tib's sudden return to Deep Valley. Based on Maud Hart Lovelace's real-life junior year, the book evokes the Okto Delta sorority, which has so many good times you can hardly believe it. Please get it.

I would give the entire series more than five stars. My obsession with the Betsy-Tacy books began as a young girl reading my mother's hardcover copies. These had been given to her as gifts by her aunt. My great-aunt then began giving me each book in the series, in hard-cover. Unfortunately, all of these were destroyed in a fire that destroyed our family home. My mother was successful in obtaining all the Betsy-Tacy books in hardcover again. I grew up mere miles from the town on which Deep Valley is based, Mankato, MN. I am grown and married and have children of my own, all boys. But I look forward to sharing the timeless treasure of these books with my niece and friends' daughters. I still reread them regularly. These books transcend the period in which they were written. Give yourself a gift and read this series; then share it with a friend and with all the young women/girls you know. There are also two peripheral Lovelace books not directly part of the Betsy-Tacy series, but placed in Deep Valley: Carney's House Party and Emily of Deep Valley. I believe they may be out-of-print; publisher, please bring them back as you revitalized the Betsy-Tacy books.

Betsy Was a Junior is perhaps the most fun-filled book of the entire Betsy-Tacy series. It opens with Tib's return from Milwaukee, which is met with joy and happiness by Betsy and Tacy. Three strong once again, the girls busy themselves with attending dances, performing in school recitals, and, of course, hanging out with their Crowd.

Prompted by older sister Julia's rhapsodic descriptions of sorority life, Betsy decides to follow suit by creating a high school sorority called Okto Delta. Although the eight members have a terrific time throwing parties and eating delicious refreshments (I defy anyone to read MHL's books without getting up and going the refrigerator just once!), they soon learn that a sorority has its drawbacks. Realizing that she and her sistren are alienating other members of Deep Valley High School (particularly Tony), Betsy dissolves the group and reverts back to her gregarious self.

Tib provides an extra dash of glamour to this book, what with her "blonde, stunning looks" and "lilac-trimmed dresses" that contrast fascinatingly with her practical, independent personality. One suspects that even Irma the Siren felt some competition once Ms. Muller joined the ranks of Deep Valley High School.

This is a wonderful book about friendship and community; if you haven't discovered the magic of the Betsy-Tacy series, do yourself a favor and pick up one of these treasures. You won't be sorry!

One of the best books in the whole series.A thoughtfull,rich storyline.A way of supriseing you with something new and great in each chapter.Betsy Ray will surely come to you as a warm fun loveing sixteen year old.Tacy Kelly will remind you of what best frinds should be.Wether its Cab or Carney, Tib or Tony or even Betsy's sisters Julia and Margeret,you are sure to remember every caracter and who they are.Mrs.Lovelace does a marvelous job of potraying this with her own life.This is definatly a book you want to read,I loved every line of it and in between.As I siad before this is agreat book.

When I first read these books twenty years ago I had a hard time finding them and I did not read them in order. I started with "Betsy and Joe" and then read whatever ones I could find. I thought I was the only one in the world that enjoyed these books!!Thank you Harper for reissuing these books. I bought the entire set online and have been reading them in order! These past few weeks I have been in another world--Betsy's world, and it has been wonderful. The new books with the pictures and history of Maude's family and friends have made the characters in these stories come alive.

These books reminded of the "Little House" books and I hope someone makes a TV series out of these stories. They are timeless.

My Review:

This book is my least favorite so far in the Betsy-Tacy series. I just could not get into it. Betsy has grown in to such a silly girl. Her sister goes off to school and is pledging a sorority and she decides to start her own. This is when all her troubles start. She starts acting out in school and makes silly remarks. Some of the dialogue could not possibly be one of a 16 yr old girl. I guess times have changed since the writing of this book. Betsy was Junior just bored me a little. It took me the whole week to read it. I am moving on to Betsy and the Great World since I do not have Betsy and Joe in my possession. I also could not possibly take any more of her high school years.

I love all the betsy-tacy books. this one is great, because everyone starts to really feel grown up. just reading it made me feel extremely grown up. when julia left for college, i started sobbing. i felt really connected with the characters. and a few days ago when i was rereading it, i read a page about betsy's 17th birthday, and suddenly i realized her birthday was 100 years ago on that day exactly. and then i started crying again. amazing series.

I also love this book and the entire Betsy Tacy series and want to let everyone know that all six books from Heaven to Betsy through Betsy's Wedding will be back in print in September 2009! They will come in three 2-book omnibus editions: Heaven to Betsy/Betsy in Spite of Herself; Betsy Was a Junior/Betsy and Joe; Betsy and the Great World/Betsy's Wedding. They will have forewords by Laura Lippman, Meg Cabot and Anna Quindlen, respectively! Here's a link to Betsy was a Junior/Betsy and Joe. Betsy Was a Junior/Betsy and Joe (P.S.)