I've been reading Carolyn Haywood's "Betsy" series since I was in elementary school. Very gentle first chapter books that were originally published in the early 1950s. Where else can you find books that make reference to "snow pants," "galoshes," "quarter past nine," and "eating Junket"?

This book series does have it's problematic bits such as kids dressing up as 'Indians,' and that they refer to POC as 'colored,' however, there is a little girl of color and her mother who live in the neighborhood and while the mother is a cook for a white family, they live in their own apartment above the families garage, and the little girl plays with the children in the neighborhood and goes to school with them. While this book is set in the norther part of the US, it is still 1950, so while this book is far from perfect, it fairly forward for its time.

This book follows a little girl named Star from the time she is 4 and wanting to go to kindergarten with her friends to when she has just turned 5 and is able to go when school starts up again after the winter break. Star winds up in the kindergarten classroom multiple times before she turns 5 for varying reasons. And she meets another child who isn't in kindergarten yet. The two children discover that their new mailman keeps candy in one of his pockets for dogs and in another for children. The kindergarten children start to wish they didn't have to go to school so they could see the mailman. The book has many funny, serious, and sweet moments. I enjoyed this book about an adorable little girl and her amusing adventures.

We have a couple families who get their kids all the old timey books. This came through the other day and I remembered it from the school library when I was a little one. I can’t imagine reading it to my son, but rereading it was like time traveling.

Carolyn Haywood's books were a HUGE part of my childhood. When I was very, very young and had just started to read "big words," Carolyn's books were the stories I read over and over again. They are perfect for small children and also wonderful to read aloud. The stories are simple, but quaint, teaching good values. Also, as with a lot of older children's literature, her stories present a very idyllic image of life in simpler times.

I liked it.

I Liked Betsy Little Star its where star wants to go to kindergarten

I have been looking for these books everywhere and I am so glad to have finally found them! While my friends in elementary school were always checking out the more "popular" books in the library, I found myself coming back to this series again and again. I'm pretty sure I read every book in the series at least twice! I'm a little perturbed to discover that they've been re-released with a more modern cover, because I actually prefer the vintage look. Brings back so many memories and should I stumble across these somewhere, I may just have to read them again!

I got to read my 7year old the very copy I had received as a birthday gift around his age. It was fun to revisit with him.

Kids, 3rd?

Betsy's little sister! Loved this!!!! <3

When I was a wee little lass and learning to read - I had a really tough time. I was in the "Special reading group" for those who had a tough time reading. Words were hard gosh darn it! Well being the girl that I am and always have been - I grabbed every book I could and took it by the throat and beat it into submission. I read and read until suddenly I found myself transported by books rather than in a grudge match. The school I went to was tiny - and they actually wouldn't let you read certain books until you were old enough. I have no idea why exactly they did this - but they did. So when I was old enough to read from the "Big kids side" of the library (Which I believe was 3rd and 4th graders btw) my friend Rebecca told me about the Betsy books and I checked them out - one after another - and read them ragged.

30 years later I am working at a used bookstore and suddenly in my hands is Betsy's Little Star! I was so excited to see my old friend! I bought the book that day (It was even a library edition!!!) and read it. Awesome to revist this book. I will probably try and collect them all one of these days.