Betsy-Tacy series

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace

A series from my mother's childhood, Maud Hart Lovelace tells the story of two best friends, and their lives growing up in Minnesota in the early 1900s. Elizabeth "Betsy" Ray and Anastacia "Tacy" Kelly meet when they are five years old and immediately become great friends. There are ten books in the series and they follow Betsy from childhood all the way to her wedding day, meeting many interesting characters and having lots of adventures on the way. They follow her love of writing and her dream of one day being a famous author. Throughout it all, Tacy remains her most loyal friend and helps her be true to who she is.

I love this series because I love reading about the time in which they lived. Lovelace took inspiration from her own childhood, and it's fascinating to me to learn how people used to fill their time. From the excitement over a brand new automobile (that drove "swiftly" at twenty miles per hour) to friends gathering around the piano to sing all the most popular songs, it certainly was a simpler time. I enjoyed reading about the fashions they would wear, and going to dances where the boys would ask girls to dance by filling out their name on a program. 

In the later books, Betsy has opportunities to travel, and the excitement she has and the way she describes it all is thrilling to read. You feel as if you are riding along in the ship with her, enjoying all the same sights and sounds.

Betsy-Tacy is a great read for young girls with wonderful imaginations who might enjoy learning about how girls from another time lived. Find them in the intermediate section!