Carney's House Party: A Deep Valley Book [Paperback]

Maud Hart Lovelace (Author), Vera Neville (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Deep Valley Book

It is the summer of 1911, the Carney Sibley is back home in her beloved town of Deep Valley, Minnesota. She's looking forward to hosting a month-long house party, with guests including her Vassar college roommate Isobel Porteous and old chum Betsy Ray. With lots of the old Crowd and a new friend--wealthy, unkept, but loveable Sam Hutchinson--around, the days are filled with fun. And romance seems to be in the air. But Carney can never be romantic about anyone but Larry Humphreys, her high school sweetheart, who moved to California four years ago. Then Larry returns to Deep Valley and sets the town abuzz. Will Larry purpose? And will Carney say yes?

In addition to her beloved Betsy-Tacy books, Maud Hart Lovelace wrote three more stories set in the fictional town of Deep Valley: Winona's Pony Cart, Carney's House Party, and Emily of Deep Valley. Longtime fans and new readers alike will be delighted to find the Deep Valley books available again for the first time in many years.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Maud Hart Lovelace (1892-1980) was the beloved author of the Betsy-Tacy books as well as many other books for adults and children.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (November 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064408590
• ISBN-13: 978-0064408592
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,544,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maud Hart Lovelace, born in 1892, is the author of the Betsy-Tacy series, in addition to several other books for adults and children. She based the Betsy-Tacy series on her own childhood and once wrote, "I lived the happiest childhood a child could possibly know," and it is this joy that comes through in her books. She died in 1980 but her legacy lives on in the beloved series she created and in her legions of fans, many of whom are members of the Betsy-Tacy Society, a national organization based in Mankato, MN.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great view of Deep Valley, November 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Carney's House Party (Hardcover)

I finally got ahold of a library copy of "Carney's House Party," and I am so excited to have read it! It was another great look at Deep Valley life, and for me it was great to *finally* see where the heck Sam came from. (If you go right from the high school books to "Betsy's Wedding," you don't get much explanation who this Sam guy is and what happened to Larry.)

This book made me feel like I was right there at the house party, with my good pals from high school Betsy and Carney and Bonnie. I hope the publisher sees fit to reissue this title, as well as "Emily of Deep Valley" and "Winona's Pony Cart," so that those of us that are B-T nuts can finish our collections.

Only thing is that I wished there had been more about Tacy, since she always was my favorite character. But a very small flaw, indeed. The Betsy-Tacy world is a magical place, and very soothing to read about.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rejoice -- Carney's House Party is back in print!, November 20, 2000

By 

Kathleen Chappell (Burke, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Carney's House Party: A Deep Valley Book (Paperback)

HarperCollins made an excellent choice when they decided to reprint Maud Hart Lovelace's other Deep Valley books. Carney's House Party is, of the three being reprinted, the most essential to the events in the post-high-school Betsy-Tacy books, and it's hard to see why it was ever allowed to go out of print in the first place.

This book is wonderful for many reasons. First, it gives us more insight into Carney Sibley, always one of the most interesting characters in the series. It answers the question that the other books leave us wondering about: whatever happened with Carney and Larry? Carney's devotion to Larry was one of the mainstays in the Betsy-Tacy high school books, and readers will thoroughly enjoy seeing how the relationship plays out.

It is also fascinating to see Deep Valley through another character's eyes, and to see other characters' opinions of Betsy Ray (the Betsy-Tacy books were largely autobiographical, and Betsy, the main character in most of the books, is Lovelace's fictional alter ego). Since the book has been out of print for so long, many readers will be thrilled to see new episodes involving the Crowd. Sadly, Herbert and Tacy do not figure in, and there's not enough of Cab, but, happily, Joe Willard makes a brief cameo.

Lovelace's stories wear so well; Carney's experiences at Vassar, her uncertainty about how well she fits in in the East, and her emotional turmoil (well, as close as Carney will ever come to emotional turmoil) over Larry are all still engaging and relevant. The Crowd is wonderful as always, with lots of singing, dancing, and inside jokes (young Lochinvar!). Don't miss this bonus trip to Deep Valley!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hooray!, December 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Carney's House Party (Hardcover)

I just read the review that says it's coming back into print! I am so excited! I adore the Betsy-Tacy books and only last year found out about Winona's Pony Cart. I have been looking for a copy of Carney's House Party for years. I am lucky enough to have a library discard of Emily of Deep Valley. I am going to buy the whole set for a young friend of mine.