This isn’t my first time reading this book (it’s been probably 12 years?) and I’m so glad I have my own copy now! I love Maud Hart Lovelace’s writing style, and the illustrations by Vera Neville are so beautiful. Emily is a lovely character, I appreciate her soft heart and sense of duty. She has the gumption to move on from disappointment and thrive. I’m looking forward to sharing this gem with my daughter when she’s ready to graduate high school.

2020- My love for this book... oh my goodness!!! I LOVED it. So, so much. I read it at the most perfect time and I think that’s a little of why I loved it so entirely.

Emily!! Oh my, I relate to Emily more than any other character I have ever read about... I think ever... and that felt amazing. It was almost crazy how much I related to her. So many times I found myself nodding because I knew how she felt. I related soo hard. I simply loved her and admired her so much. We are kindred spirits 100%.

And of course, I despised Don and loved Jed!

I just love the whole story period. I really had no idea I’d like it so much. I picked it up on a whim and I am so, so glad I did! Because since, I have picked up the Betsy series by M.H.L. and it has became one of my top favorite series ever.

So this book is definitely special to me and now one of my most favorites. It has a beautiful message. I could honestly talk about it all day long.
Really, finding a character you can relate to like I can to Emily is, in my opinion, one of the most special things about reading.❤️

2022 Reread-
I still love this book so, so much! It still remains a very favorite and a comfort read for me. I relate to Emily so much, more than any other character I’ve ever read about. She’s a kindred spirit and one of my dearest fictional friends because I understand her so well. Her character is so inspiring to me. She’s a role model and fictional best friends all in one. I love how kindhearted she is and how she truly walks with integrity. And goodness, I love Jed too! He’s such a gentleman and perfect for Emily. I love their simple love story much. But I also love how the romance isn’t the focus of the story, more of a side plot. The main focus of the story is Emily growing up, wistfully leaving her girlhood behind, and discovering the kind of woman she wants to be.
This book also describes loneliness and not feeling like you fit in so well; the feeling of being in a room full of people and still feeling alone.
I love how Emily found ways to make a real difference despite her circumstances and how she found joy in helping others rather than focusing on her own problems. Her kind-heart and determination to make a difference inspires me so much.
I love this book dearly. It’ll always be a comfort read for me.

Emily of Deep Valley may not be technically part of the Betsy-Tacy series, but along with Betsy and Joe, it's my favorite of all of the books.

It features a heroine who is, unlike Betsy, not really part of the in-crowd. Emily is intelligent and well-spoken, but introverted, and much of the book is about her adjustment to life after high school without her crowd of friends, who have all gone away to college. I love extroverted Betsy, but introverted autodidact Emily speaks to me in a more personally familiar way.

Emily Webster is a few years younger than Betsy Ray and Tacy Kelly, the stars of Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy series, but she lives and moves within the same community in Deep Valley, Minnesota. At the start of this stand-alone novel about Emily, she is just about to graduate high school. The day is bittersweet, both because Emily's parents died years ago and can't be there to celebrate it with her, and because she won't be going off to college, as she perceives that her grandfather, a man from a different time period, would prefer that she stay home and keep house for him. As the summer passes and her classmates all move onto the next chapters of their lives, Emily begins to see that things will have to change for her as well if she is going to avoid being lonely all the time. So, though she waits anxiously from news of her friends who have left home, she also begins to make the most of her new adult life in Deep Valley by going to dances, starting up a class, and helping some Syrian children make friends. As Emily begins to develop her own interests, she also develops confidence in her capabilities and the work she is meant to do slowly reveals itself.

I really enjoyed this look at young adult life after the turn of the 20th century from the point of view of someone whose life hasn't been quite as charmed as that of Betsy or Tacy. Emily is a vulnerable and likable underdog, and the reader is on her side from the outset, eager to see her find her path and come into her own. Though Emily's experiences are largely products of her time period, every generation of teenagers and twenty-somethings goes through that period of beginning to discern how they wish to spend their lives, and often this does involve going against the grain, or at least taking a slightly different path from one's friends. Emily, in her quiet way, gives girls a strong role model for charting the unfamiliar waters of life just after high school, and she provides a strong sense of hope as well, as things do ultimately work out for her.

In terms of history, the descriptions of Deep Valley's Memorial Day celebration in which Emily's grandfather participates are a very interesting look back in time, and Emily's patriotism, especially, is a quality worthy of admiration that we don't often see mentioned in novels for kids. Reading aloud the chapter about Memorial Day would make a nice family tradition, I think, and could be helpful in reminding kids what Memorial Day is actually about.

Understanding and enjoying this book does not require any prior knowledge of the Betsy-Tacy series, and I only saved it for last because it happened to be the last of the books that I acquired. I tend to think of it as being in the same category as Carney's House Party or the later Betsy books, prior to her wedding, because, like those novels, it deals with questions more likely to be of interest to older teens, but there is no objectionable content that should keep the book from a younger child. There are also a lot of lessons to be learned from this book about self-confidence and marching to one's own drum beat that would resonate especially well during the middle school years, which is likely when I will pass it down to my own daughters.

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

More of a 4.8
I forgot how much I love Lovelace's writing and characters. It feels so comforting and familiar. The beginning of the book was a little hard for me to get into, but the last 2/3 were so sweet. Emily is a new favorite heroine.

What a delightful novel! I can see why this is a favorite of many Maud Hart Lovelace fans. It's such a warm-hearted and uplifting story, and Emily Webster is a very real character. To me, at least, she's easier to relate to than social butterfly Betsy Ray, much as I love Betsy. Emily's insecurity and feeling of being always on the outer fringes of her group of friends, her social awkwardness around young men, her uncertainty about what her future holds - I'm sure a lot of girls know how that feels. I love all the growth she does and the changes she makes over the course of the story, as she learns that life is what you make of it, even when what you really want -- a college education, in Emily's case -- isn't within your grasp.

There are so many loveable characters in the novel - Emily's Civil War soldier grandfather, Cab Edwards who features in the main Betsy-Tacy series, darling schoolteacher Jed Wakeman, who is the nicest, most wonderful guy, and the Syrian families she befriends and for whom she advocates, especially cuties Kalil, Yusef, and Layla. Emily's awful crush Don, however, can go jump in a lake! Emily's final scene with him was so satisfying.

Maud Hart Lovelace's writing is comforting, full of genuine emotion and a community that always comes to life and becomes so real. Deep Valley, Minnesota is a wonderful place - I was happy to spend some more time there through this book, and happy to make a new book friend in Emily.

Favorite parts: spotlighting the Syrians; Emily learning about what can be education, about her character and about the two main men’s characters; the mixing of generations and not just in a parental way (Emily having meetings and creating classes with teachers, other adults and former students a bit older than her); appreciation for “old” things and people of different places.
This story could feel gloomy and slow coming from reading Betsy, because Emily and Betsy are such different characters. Interesting to consider whether Betsy is like Annette with her crowd, but then Betsy and her class do appear and Emily wonders that they act so silly though they're so "old". Then Betsy shares with her the significance of her "lost year", away from her crowd, being the best year and providing focus.
I wish I’d grown up in that time for the social aspects. Though this didn't happen so much for Emily, there was a lot of casual mixed parties at home with parents and siblings present and the dances with all sorts of traditional and new dances to the latest music with a bunch of partners who reserved a place on the lady's dance card. They were fun and got you used to being amongst people, even though a girl might have a regular beau who escorted her to parties, “kids” didn’t do "spoony” (and that was just holding hands).

2022 reading: While I'm also reading An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States I particularly noticed when Indians are mentioned. In this it's little things like an Indian head as modern decoration, Indian paths, and an elderly soldier having been part of a war against the Sioux.
2016 review: Wonderful story. I can relate to Emily better than to Betsy. As lovely as Betsy is, Emily has a more relatable personality and social experience to me. Aside from that, reading it came at the perfect time when I'd had a big disappointment and it felt like I could follow her through the different stages. She's an inspiration for how to react, to be proactive and turn your energy to learning and helping others, but also learning more about yourself in the process.

My Pinterest board

This is a re-read from quite some years ago. For a book that is rated for ages 8 and up, it is extremely well-written. Emily's story drew me in. I'd forgotten how much I liked Ms Lovelace's books, and I never really appreciated how well she writes. Always knew that I like all the books she wrote about Betsy, Tacy and Tib, but reading them at a young age, I liked the story more than the writing.

Story is set in 1912-1913, and it brings back how patriotic people were, how they revered the 'old soldiers' and makes me homesick for a time I never lived in.

In the first few chapters, I considered DNFing this book, because it just seemed a bit too saccharine for me. But once the other kids go off to college, this book turns into something beautiful. I loved how the author packed some tough issues in, while portraying strength, kindness and character in the main character.

I loved Emily’s growth as she learns to be content where she is and that she doesn’t need a college degree to make a difference and change the world around her. I also loved her realization that her connection with her fellow classmates was superficial at best. She realized it was okay to grow apart from people, not be so dependent and wishing to fit in, but to find your people/community, because they’re out there!

I wasn’t expecting this book to tackle racism and immigration, but it did and I loved Emily’s love for the Syrians.

(Next part is spoiler-y)




This book also portrays extremely unhealthy, manipulative relationships and shows Emily realizing how a certain character just puts her down to make himself higher. I’ve seen some reviewers say they were frustrated with how she didn’t get over him sooner, but I think it was realistic. Abusers often keep their victims strung along for a while and so it wasn’t easy for Emily to break free of believing what he told her and being in love with him. He knew how to give her just enough attention to keep her strung along and then enjoyed completely ignoring her to keep her miserable and believing she was less than. I cheered when she told him she didn’t think of him at all! Emily deserved so much better than him. When he went away to college and she didn’t, it created the space needed for her to break free from him.

In short (or long

I must re-read this book at least once a year, and the new year is the perfect time. In this book, Emily Webster finds herself in a hard place and begins to be depressed, but she realizes a few things and pulls herself out to become something better than she had in mind for herself in the first place.

I love the 1912 details!

Emily's just graduated from high school, but unlike everyone else in her class, she's not going to college (or, as some are doing, getting married). Instead, she's going to stay at home to take care of her grandfather. She tries hard not to get upset about it, but it's difficult. All she wants to do is go to college and keep learning. Still, she loves her grandfather---he raised her after her mom died---and she's happy to be able to take care of him now.

Except that it's also kind of awful. All her friends are gone, and when they come back (for Thanksgiving and Christmas), they have stories that she can't relate to at all. (Also, as a side note? Her friends are kind of awful.)

This is very different from the other Deep Valley books. Betsy and Carney are incredibly outgoing, but Emily is shy and seems to be comfortable with only a few people. It's nice to watch her come out of her shell throughout the course of the book.

While Emily spends most of the early chapters in varying states of misery, she ends up figuring out how to do everything. Granted, she can't go to college, but she CAN start a group that will study together. Also, to her credit, the easiest way to get to college---ditching her grandfather---isn't even an option. It's not like she thinks about it and decides not to do it; it's not even on the table. Ever. Even when he suggests that maybe she'd want to leave Deep Valley.

I'm going to miss this series more than you know. If you haven't read them, it's not too late. They're wonderful.

warm, lovely, and kind. I loved the betsy-tacy books in childhood, and returning to maud hart lovelace's writing as an adult felt like being greeted by an old friend with whom one can easily resume the comfort and intimacy of days gone by. and it really is a treat to see glimpses of the old gang all grown up!

a time capsule!
- 'she wasn't what the high school called a lemon. but she had never learned to joke and flirt with boys.'
- 'the walls showed high school and college pennants, harrison fisher girls, and a fishnet full of photographs.'
- '"she hath done what she could."' as the epitaph written on a woman's gravestone. rip
- 'had been graduated from'
- "the marshes of glynn"
- A HORRIFIC "NOVEL REFRESHMENT" SERVED CALLED "SHRIMP WIGGLE," in addition to other supposed classics like "new england boiled dinner." no thank you. the "highly acclaimed bisque of macaroons" sounds okay, I guess?
- '"you're certainly a go-ahead"'
- "saul" by robert browning (ngl I haven't read it yet this is more of a bookmarking for later so idk if this says anything awful)
- I hadn't realized "ditch" (verb) was this early, nor "way" in the adverbial sense, as in (as here) "'way back in the fifties" with that beautiful apostrophe!!!
- when the grandpa is explaining that the wrestling will be "catch as catch can" and that there's "no gougin'! no bitin'! no spittin'" but that "any holt is fair" :)
- spondulix
- they get to watch maude adams in peter pan!!!

that remains tremendously worthwhile for the modern reader!
- 'the deep valley slough, pronounced sloo, was the marshy inlet of a river. when emily had first read pilgrim's progress, after finding it mentioned in louisa m. alcott's little women, she had pronounced the slough of despond sloo, too. she had called it sloo until miss fowler had told her in english class that bunyan's slough rhymed with "how." miss fowler had mad the correction in a casual unembarrassing way, putting her emphasis on the fact that emily alone, out of the class, had read pilgrim's progress. the difference in pronunciation had seemed suitable to emily. slough pronounced like "how" sounded disagreeable, and so did the miry pit in which christian had wallowed. she loved her own slough, pronounced sloo, beside which she had lived all her life.'
- 'most of the girls liked him, although he was moody, conceited, and not handsome. there was magnetism in his dark, often sullen, face and his flashing white-toothed smile.'
- bring back letting people have accents!!! miss fowler has a boston accent, as she should!!!
- '"oh, well," said miss fowler. "it isn't necessary. college would help you to get where you're going but you'll get there just the same."'
- everybody has good names! carney and hunter sibley! betsy, tacy, and tib, obviously! they're all good!
- there's like two lines that with my modern eyeballs gave me hope that emily might be queer but she is in fact a straight whom I support
- '"who to?" asked emily, too interested to be grammatical.'
- '"I'm not so humble as I used to be. but who could be humble, studying browning? he makes you feel important just because you're a human being."'
- '"betsy ray and tacy kelly are visiting my sister," fred muller said. "gee, I didn't know folks acted like that after they got to be twenty! a party every day!"'
- 'but she felt painfully awkward. she was almost in a panic.'
- SOLACING SOLITUDE!!! WHEN ITS ASPECT WAS AUBURN!!!
- does 'queenly bosom' mean miss bangeter has titties for days asking for a friend
- '"I suppose you think that I'm a cad." / "I just don't think about you. good-by"' GETTEM
- why did nobody but emily webster ever tell me that I should cut paper collars for my tomatoes "to keep the cutworms off"!!!! I hate those vile little bs!!!

you could assemble one hell of a playlist from the songs mentioned herein (emily's grandfather is a civil war veteran, and a lot of the songs are even-for-then old tunes popular during the war):
- "meet me tonight in dreamland"
- "I'd love to live in loveland"
- "when johnny comes marching home"
- "tenting tonight on the old camp ground"
- "a faded coat of blue"
- a href="https://www.lincolncollection.org/col... the flag around me boys," presumably adapted from the irish ballad
- "the vacant chair" (sidebar, I guess it's not shocking in hindsight but tennessee ernie ford mr. sixteen tons himself did an album of confederate songs??? in addition to an album of "civil war songs of the north." what the fuck man)
- "tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching"
- "love's awakening" by moritz moszkowski (see also this nightmarish and wonderful music box version)

one instance of anti-indigenous racism, and one instance in which it's seen as a triumph that the grandpa, who fought in the civil war for the union, is polite when it's revealed that another character's grandfather fought for the confederacy; other than those two, however, there's not much to shock and appall. emily's hero is jane addams—"'when in all history,'" asked emily, quoting her subject, "'had these ideals been so thrillingly expressed as when the faith of the fisherman and the slave had been boldly opposed to the accepted moral belief that the well-being of a privileged few might justly be built upon the ignorance and sacrifice of the many?'"—and a significant part of her arc is her realizing that she can effect social change in her hometown without going to college, and in particular through her friendship with two young boys from the immigrant syrian community largely othered by and alienated from the rest of european–stock deep valley. there's also a subtle through line about class and untraditional success—his talk to the graduates seemed to indicate that he would measure their success chiefly in terms of money. emily didn't care much for him or his speech.—and on the whole, though emily's methods sometimes feel a little dated, it's refreshing to read about this sort of heroine in what I'll call historical ya. bring back the mode of "ya" that doesn't feel like an insult to adult readers!!!