thenovelbook's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the chapter on Betsy's first solo expedition downtown to the new library!
bestpartofafire's review against another edition
4.0
3 stars for most of it, 4 for the ending, which was compelling enough that I decided to give the whole book four stars.
ikuo1000's review
5.0
What a delightful read! There are so many things I enjoyed about this book.
The simple pleasures and sense of community in a small, old-fashioned town really came through. It was so charmingly quaint how in that time before cinema, all the children got excited for matinee productions that come through town with travelling theater companies. I loved how proud and grown-up Betsy felt when she was allowed to spend the day downtown by herself, and how the shopkeepers helped to make the girls' Christmas wishes come true.
In previous books of this series, especially in Betsy-Tacy and Tib, I think Betsy came across as kind of bossy. Now at age twelve, it's a pleasure to see that she has matured nicely. I wasn't too crazy about the way the three girls tried to manipulate Winona in the beginning, but since Winona saw through their antics and didn't mind, I figured I shouldn't mind either.
I like that the girls have clear personality differences, and I find myself mostly admiring Tib, who remains the calm, competent, matter-of-fact voice of reason.
I especially enjoyed the peek into old-fashioned slang, in which young people apparently expressed their dissatisfaction with others by saying, "You go way back and sit down!" Haha. Kind of like a turn-of-the-century version of the Fonz's "Sit on it!"
My only reservation about this book is that, like Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill, it includes some language that historically would not have been offensive in the time of original publication, but in modern times, should probably be accompanied with some contextual explanation for young readers. Basically, the girls talk about performing in blackface. Of course, they mean no disrespect, but now that the idea is presented, it might be a good idea to let young readers know that performing in blackface is not acceptable these days.
The simple pleasures and sense of community in a small, old-fashioned town really came through. It was so charmingly quaint how in that time before cinema, all the children got excited for matinee productions that come through town with travelling theater companies. I loved how proud and grown-up Betsy felt when she was allowed to spend the day downtown by herself, and how the shopkeepers helped to make the girls' Christmas wishes come true.
In previous books of this series, especially in Betsy-Tacy and Tib, I think Betsy came across as kind of bossy. Now at age twelve, it's a pleasure to see that she has matured nicely. I wasn't too crazy about the way the three girls tried to manipulate Winona in the beginning, but since Winona saw through their antics and didn't mind, I figured I shouldn't mind either.
I like that the girls have clear personality differences, and I find myself mostly admiring Tib, who remains the calm, competent, matter-of-fact voice of reason.
I especially enjoyed the peek into old-fashioned slang, in which young people apparently expressed their dissatisfaction with others by saying, "You go way back and sit down!" Haha. Kind of like a turn-of-the-century version of the Fonz's "Sit on it!"
My only reservation about this book is that, like Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill, it includes some language that historically would not have been offensive in the time of original publication, but in modern times, should probably be accompanied with some contextual explanation for young readers. Basically, the girls talk about performing in blackface. Of course, they mean no disrespect, but now that the idea is presented, it might be a good idea to let young readers know that performing in blackface is not acceptable these days.
crizzle's review against another edition
5.0
(2016) What is it about being twelve that makes for such great book material? I guess it's that you're still a kid, yet not a kid. You want to be with the teens, yet you're not a teen. You're in the middle of everything. You're learning that your parents are real, flawed people with histories before you were born. You're learning that someday, you too will have some sort of life as a grown up person. This fourth Betsy Tacy book had all of that and was just as dear as the three before it, and just like each before, I cried at the end. What a precious series this is. Unfortunately, I need to take a break, as the library got rid of their copies and I don't have the next one.
(2017) Woah, Moo and I were reading this the same time one year ago! It still makes me laugh when the Trio is weirding out Winona by staring her down all day... "I know who I WON'T invite.... people who stare at me all the time." Burrrrrnnn. I am SO HAPPY that Spencie bought me all the rest of the series!!
(2017) Woah, Moo and I were reading this the same time one year ago! It still makes me laugh when the Trio is weirding out Winona by staring her down all day... "I know who I WON'T invite.... people who stare at me all the time." Burrrrrnnn. I am SO HAPPY that Spencie bought me all the rest of the series!!
autumnrose_noseinabook's review against another edition
5.0
I have loved all the Betsy Tacy books but so far this one is my favorite! I was in tears at the end. I'm so excited to continue the series.
panda_incognito's review
4.0
I only read this book once as a child, since my family didn't own it, and I had almost no memories of it, aside from recalling that Betsy took trips to the downtown library. Recently, a family friend wanted to know if this book would be suitable for her daughter, who had read the first three. I didn't remember enough to give a solid verdict, which inspired me to reread the whole series.
This book is now one of my favorites from the series. It has a stronger story arc than the first three books, and realistically portrays the characters at their transition stage between childhood and adolescence. Betsy's development as a writer is a particularly interesting element of this book, and I appreciate how her parents encourage her interest by allowing her to take solo trips to the library.
This story includes fun historical elements as well, like the owner of the local theater buying the first automobile in town. I enjoyed this a lot, and appreciated the thoughtful development of new characters that played a significant role here and will continue to be part of the series as it unfolds.
The content notes I mentioned to the family friend are as follows:
- The girls read dime novels that belong to the hired girl at Betsy's house. They keep this interest a secret from their mothers, and although the story gives no details about the dime novels' contents, it's clear that these books are smutty by early twentieth century standards. Betsy imitates the dime novels in her own writing, but later feels remorseful and changes her ways.
- When the girls' school friend Winona has extra tickets to see Uncle Tom's Cabin, the girls try to manipulate her so that she will choose them to go with her to the play. The book plays this for laughs and never presents the girls' behavior as something to model, but this is a significant part of the plot for a while.
- The book has a few regrettable references to blackface related to the play. White actors play Black characters in Uncle Tom's Cabin, and when the girls are talking about dressing up and putting on their own version of the story, Tib remarks that she will color her face in soot. The book is representative of the time, and Tib is innocently imitating the adult world around her, but this is something parents should be aware of and ready to explain.
This book is now one of my favorites from the series. It has a stronger story arc than the first three books, and realistically portrays the characters at their transition stage between childhood and adolescence. Betsy's development as a writer is a particularly interesting element of this book, and I appreciate how her parents encourage her interest by allowing her to take solo trips to the library.
This story includes fun historical elements as well, like the owner of the local theater buying the first automobile in town. I enjoyed this a lot, and appreciated the thoughtful development of new characters that played a significant role here and will continue to be part of the series as it unfolds.
The content notes I mentioned to the family friend are as follows:
- The girls read dime novels that belong to the hired girl at Betsy's house. They keep this interest a secret from their mothers, and although the story gives no details about the dime novels' contents, it's clear that these books are smutty by early twentieth century standards. Betsy imitates the dime novels in her own writing, but later feels remorseful and changes her ways.
- When the girls' school friend Winona has extra tickets to see Uncle Tom's Cabin, the girls try to manipulate her so that she will choose them to go with her to the play. The book plays this for laughs and never presents the girls' behavior as something to model, but this is a significant part of the plot for a while.
- The book has a few regrettable references to blackface related to the play. White actors play Black characters in Uncle Tom's Cabin, and when the girls are talking about dressing up and putting on their own version of the story, Tib remarks that she will color her face in soot. The book is representative of the time, and Tib is innocently imitating the adult world around her, but this is something parents should be aware of and ready to explain.
stenaros's review against another edition
3.0
The girls (Tib too, she got left out of the title) are twelve and thus can do things like walk downtown together. Betsy gets her own library card to the Carnegie Library in town. Interesting secondary story of Mrs. Poppy, the former actress and current wife of the hotelier, who is not accepted by the ladies of Deep Valley.
heatherwoodauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Really loved a lot about this one, such as how Betsy's parents encouraged her toward reading better books and the way Tacy and Tib supported her and how they broadened their friend group.
The hypnotizing part wasn't my favorite and I don't know that my kids understood it at all. I forgot about the blackface mention until I read the reviews, since it was so brief and I skipped over it when reading aloud. Still, it's an unfortunate part of history.
The hypnotizing part wasn't my favorite and I don't know that my kids understood it at all. I forgot about the blackface mention until I read the reviews, since it was so brief and I skipped over it when reading aloud. Still, it's an unfortunate part of history.
libkatem's review against another edition
5.0
Oh Downtown! This was the first Betsy-Tacy book I owned. This love predates even the Harry Potter books for me.
sharonfalduto's review against another edition
3.0
So what I like about these books, is that they are old timey--Betsy and her friends get super excited when they get $.15 because then they can buy a dime novel AND candy for all of them, and it's awesome when the horseless carriage comes to town; BUT they aren't all hardship and woe and Indian attacks and fording rivers like Laura Ingalls Wilder. The girls live in town (the fictional Deep Valley, which is really just Mankato, Minnesota), they go to a regular school, and they do pretty much the same things as 21st century girls. Like get really excited when they get to see a play.