Please tell me that Tib comes back.

7/2-2015 stet

9/2012 Lovelace is such a good writer. I did not notice the artfulness when I was a child reading these books, I only knew I loved them.

12/2009 Is it monotonous to start all my BT reviews with "I love this book"? Well, too bad, I LOVE this book. It's extremely well-written, but that's not why I love it. I don't think I even noticed it was made of words till I was out of my own teens.

Betsy is a freshman at Deep Valley High School, and in this eventful year she goes through some very traumatic times with less than the poise and ease she thinks she ought. Her first love is not smooth. Her first essay contest is sabotaged... by her own inattention. She has to decide if she wants to stay with the church of her childhood or change to the church which speaks to her heart. She learns a great deal about being true to herself, though, as we will see in the next few books, not nearly enough.

Lovelace did a tremendous job in transitioning the books from Betsy's childhood years to her high school ones. Also, as I amor Tony, I have to recommend the book since it is when he is introduced.

Review to eventually follow, but for now I am just adding the note that Lovelace's characters think Helen's Babies is hilarious. I agree with them.

I love all these books. Just read this one aloud to my husband and he laughed and laughed...maybe because Betsy and I are so alike. I'd forgotten how funny it is until I heard him cracking up.

I love Betsy so much.

This is what I wish YA could be today--not about saving the universe or discovering a paranormal doorway or finding the guy of your dreams to discover he has a life-threatening illness. Instead, it's about Betsy dealing with the changes of being 14, moving, becoming a freshman and noticing boys for the first time.

Betsy's is the kind of High School experience you wish you could have--"The Crowd" coming over every day to make fudge, sing around the piano, make bonfires and walk to and from school together. I love the importance of her parents, her family and her best girl friends. And even tho' Betsy is completely boy-crazy in this one, there's still an innocence of boys walking girls home, where holding hands is being bold and a mistletoe kiss on the cheek is considered a first kiss.

And to me, an even better message comes at the end--that the One Thing (God) has for you, be it singing, writing or being a wife/mother, *is* the thing you should be doing with all your heart--not pining after boys.

But even outside of a "message" or moral of the book, it's just so incredibly FUN to travel thru Betsy and Tacy's freshman year and all their classes, parties and adventures. Lovelace hooks you immediately and brings you intimately into their turn-of-the-century life. I couldn't love it more.

PLUS, Vera Neville's illustrations are TO DIE FOR.

I think I'm going to buy a nice copy of this book for my 14yo this year as she enters High School.

** For Goodreads OCDness, I didn't really read this edition. I read my 1980 Harper Trophy version that is literally in pieces b/c I read it so many times as a kid. But, there isn't a cover on the 1980 version in Goodreads, so I picked this one b/c it's the next prettiest...**

This is probably my favorite book in the series, it was just so joyful! Betsy is growing up, making new friends, and having a great time-and although at times a little bittersweet, this book was an absolute romp. Betsy and Tacy aren't quite as close as they have been in the best, hence the "bittersweet" characterization.

I'm really looking forward to the next books of Betsy's high school years. I believe any readers looking for a book featuring life in small town America in the early 20th century, or juvenile readers looking for a chapter book to get into will not be disappointed.

BETSY RAY IS A FLIRT AND I LIKE IT.

I didn't like this book as much as the others. Firstly because I don't like romance and this book was basically about crushes. Secondly because Tacy was barely in it. She was there at the beginning but then mostly fell out and when she did appear it had a different theme than the rest of the book. I was happy to see more of Betsy and Julia's relationship though.

I loved Betsy-Tacy as a girl but never read past the first 4 books. Tirzah has been telling me I needed to read this one for a while and since I just got the rest of them we’re finishing the series.

This one was sweet and had much of the same tone of the earlier books. Love the Ray family and their camaraderie!

Man, this book slapped. I LOVED that they gave the parents more time because they're like my fav characters. Also, Tony

All the Betsy-Tasy books are an absolute must for any girl, no matter the age. The high school ones are so fun and charming. Wish my hs life was even a quarter as fun as The Crowds.... :)