Betsy Tacy Books

[nokidsmom]

I loved those books as a kid also. I would make regular treks to the library for those books and did reread them a few times over. One of the things I loved was the era in which the stories took place. You learned not only about how life was back in those old fashioned days but also that those things/ problems / issues that affected everyday life then is pretty universal.

[Grimalkin]

I think the Betsy -Tacy series would be perfect for a 9 year old.

The younger books take place when they are 5, 8, 10 and 12. And then the high school series starts. I don't think there is anything that would be too boring in any of them for that age. I'm just guessing, but I was probably 9 ish when I devoured them. Although the first couple my mom had already read to me when I was tiny.

They are about their daily lives and family and friends, which is pretty universal. But there are lots of fun old- fashioned activities that make it interesting. And they throw in serious issues too that are handled beautifully. For example in the first book Tacy's baby sister dies, later Betsy has a new baby sister -- which makes her feel sad - And the two have a very sweet and touching conversation about it. And that's a book about 5 year olds.

And as mentioned, Betsy switches from Baptist to Episcopalian -- at, iirc , the age of 12.

Love these books.

Sounds like enough drama to hold her interest. Thanks.

[TrueRebel1]

Wonderful book series! These were my absolute favorite books growing up in a fundie household. I'm not sure that the characters and stories would be approved by most fundies -- but somehow they slid past my parents since they were vintage books. In my early teen years that were filled with depressing fundie literature, I craved the independence of Betsy. I loved that she was so close with her parents, and yet made her own choices -- like joining a different church, and traveling the world. I longed for the social life that Betsy had, and that she could date boys. Definitely a series I would recommend to young girls!

FYI: In one of the books, Betsy makes a snide remark about Elsie Dinsmore! I remember reading this at the time when Vision Forum had just republished the Elsie books and were pushing them as the best literature for godly young girls. I think even then I secretly loved the fact that Betsy disliked the hypocrisy of Elsie Dinsmore. ;)