Customer Reviews

Betsy-Tacy CD

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For my 8th birthday my Mom and Dad gave me the Betsy-Tacy Treasury which contained this book and Betsy-Tacy and Tib, Betsy and Tacy Go Over Big Hill, and Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown. I have just finished the whole thing and now I am 11. I have read it many others times and I find it amazing that I still appciate it at age 11. Whenever we go to the libary I look for smaller printed books but even though this has fairly large print I think it is a wonderful book. I found it when I was in organizing my family's books and started to read it and couldn't put it down. I loved this book and if you do you should read the rest of the Betsy-Tacy book series.

This book begins with a little girl's fifth-birthday party; in my family it has become a tradition to give it to any little girl for her fifth birthday, and it's always wonderful to do so, because you feel you're sharing something really special.

Betsy and Tacy are imaginative and adventuresome and wholly appealing. Though the setting is far removed in time (far, at least for a small child), the characters and situations remain appealing and true, particularly the relationships between younger and older sisters.

This is just an ideal book to read to a child too young to read it -- the series grows with the person, so that after a few years the child can read on her own, and Betsy and Tacy can keep her company all the way through high school.

Betsy-Tacy is the first book in the delightful series by Maud Hart Lovelace. Five-year-old Betsy longs for a best friend and finds one when Tacy moves in across the street. Together they have many adventures, including going on picnics, selling sand, playing with paper dolls, going "calling" on neighbors, climbing The Big Hill, and going to school for the first time.

The Betsy-Tacy books were partially autobiographical and Lovelace perfectly captures the innocence and magic of childhood. Betsy's imaginative stories, such as riding a feather, are delightful. Even though they are children, Betsy and Tacy's lives are, as in real life, not always happy. The death of Tacy's baby sister, left tears in my eyes yet joy at the innocence of youth as Betsy and Tacy leave an Easter Egg in a tree with the belief that a bird will carry it up to Heaven and give it to Tacy's sister.

I loved these books as a child and I'm happy to say I still love them as an adult. This is a great book for young and old.

I was recently reminded of the Betsy-Tacy books I loved so much when I was a young girl. You can not imagine my horror at seeing the current editions' illustrations of the girls, though. Part of the original books' charm was the simple illustrations. Whoever decided to change them should be ashamed. Ashamed and fired. Seriously.

Contact me if you want to join a campaign to have the real drawings returned to future editions of these timeless classics so many of us loved so much.

The Betsy-Tacy series may be the most influential set of books I ever read. I reread them over and over, because they never lose their beauty. I have discovered that I compare my life now to Betsy's because I made her life my dream at a young age. I would quickly recommend all the books, beginning with Betsy-Tacy, to any child, although I have never met a male who has read them. I feel as if I grew up in Deep Valley too.

Hooray!!! I am so thrilled these books are in print again. I read them all (several times!) as a child growing up in the 1960's in a town 30 miles from "Deep Valley", (aka Mankato) Minnesota. I inherited them from my mother's childhood collection. But when I moved to California in 1969 no one had heard of them. My, now 14 year old daughter, read, and re-read the 3-generations-old books and loved them as well! She and I both rejoice to see these timeless stories enjoying a national rebirth. They've even made the movies...Meg Ryan's book store owning character in the 1999 movie "You've Got Mail" refers to Betsy, Tacy and Tib. Maud Hart Lovelace would be pleased and proud!!!

Of all the books I have read as a child, no other book or series have touched me as much as Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy series. I was only seven or eight years old when I started the series, beginning with "Betsy-Tacy".

"Betsy-Tacy" tells the story of how Betsy Ray and Tacy Kelly first met. They were no older than I was when they met. Tacy's family had just moved to Hill Street in Deep Valley, Minnesota. Betsy lived with her parents and older sister Julia. Betsy had felt a bit left out as far as friends was concerned. There were plenty of children of Julia's age or were merely infants but none of Betsy's age. That all changed when Tacy's family moved into town. Initially Betsy's encounter with Tacy was not how Betsy wanted it to be. It wasn't until Betsy's birthday party did the duo become fast friends.

"Betsy-Tacy" remains a personal favorite in the childrens series. It was so well written. Maude Hart Lovelace did a exquisite job at describing the death of Tacy's baby sister which was so real and heartbreaking. I also loved the chapter on the piano box. I just love how Maude Hart Lovelace captured the essence and magic of childhood perfectly. She didn't sugarcoat it nor did she dumb down her stories. I think every little girl could relate to the friendship between Betsy and Tacy (and eventually Tib). I still enjoy picking up "Betsy-Tacy" every now and then when I get too caught up in my own reality.

Have you ever had a best friend? Having a best friend to share all of life's ups and downs is the theme of the wonderful series Betsy - Tacy.

The two lead characters (and later Tib) are well written and easy to connect with. Betsy is full of ideas, bright, and always sees the best in everything. Tacy is shy, bashful, and yet loves to participate in everything Betsy dreams up.

The various adventures they have together stick with you as you grow up and are funny, poignant, and real.

I love this book along with the rest of my family of sisters and nieces. We have all had it read to us and we have read them ourselves. They are such a treasure!

When I first discovered these books, I had to order them on inter-library loans...all over the state of California!! Then in about 1994 the books were reprinted!! What joy. I own all 10 of them and Carney's House Party (which I love) and the Horse Cart one (can't think of the name!!) Thanks to Harper-Collins for republishing them. So my advice buy a set for yourself and all the young readers in your life!! Buy them so they won't go out of print again! I love them for the warm homey life they portray and the friendship between the girls. I love the talking about food and picnicing and the family relationships. I am 44, but when I have a sick day, these are the perfect books to reread!

I was first given the Betsy-Tacy series at age 7 by my mother (who knew quality education when she saw it), and at the advanced age of 29, I still occasionally pick up the entire series and read them, cover to cover. I could especially relate with Betsy, since her desires were mine (to become a famous author!). The writing is fresh, innocent and timeless. I especially loved the "Everything Pudding" scene! I would recommend this series for ANY child, young or young-at-heart.