Heaven to Betsy and Betsy in Spite of Herself

by Maud Hart Lovelace

Overview

“Some characters become your friends for life. That’s how it was for me with Betsy-Tacy.” —Judy Blume

With a Foreword by Laura Lippman

These two books in Maud Hart Lovelace’s beloved Betsy-Tacy series: Heaven to Betsy and Betsy in Spite of Herself see Betsy and Tacy start high school in Deep Valley, Minnesota. Featuring a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman and the original cover art from Heaven to Betsy.

“I re-read these books every year, marveling at how a world so quaint - Shirtwaists! Pompadours! Merry Widow hats! - can feature a heroine who is undeniably modern.” — Laura Lippman

“There are three authors whose body of work I have re-read more than once over my adult life: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and Maud Hart Lovelace.” — Anna Quindlen

 “Slipping into a Betsy book is like slipping into a favorite pair of well-worn slippers: It’s always a pleasure to live in Betsy’s world for a little while, to experience her simple joys, but also her (thankfully short-lived) sorrows.” — Meg Cabot

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061794698
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/29/2009
Series:	Betsy-Tacy Series
Pages:	661
Sales rank:	148,649
Product dimensions:	5.31(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.12(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Maud Hart Lovelace (1892-1980) based her Betsy-Tacy series on her own childhood. Her series still boasts legions of fans, many of whom are members of the Betsy-Tacy Society, a national organization based in Mankato, Minnesota.

What People are Saying About This

Nora Ephron

“The Betsy-Tacy books were among my favorites when I was growing up.”

Jill Kalz

“I grew up 30 miles north of Mankato, and trips to town were filled with mystery and magic, because I was walking the same streets that Betsy and Tacy once walked. The Betsy-Tacy books...., more than any other books, fed my dream of becoming a writer one day.”

Ann M. Martin

“I am fairly certain that my independent, high-spirited grandmother must have had a childhood similar to Betsy Ray’s…As I read..., I felt that I was having an unexpected and welcome peek into Granny’s childhood—a gift to me from Maud Hart Lovelace.”

Johanna Hurwitz

“When I was growing up in the Bronx, I had lots of friends. But the girls I most enjoyed spending time with were Betsy, Tacy and Tib....in the series by Maud Hart Lovelace...three girls full of good ideas, adventures and fun.”

Bette Midler

“I read every one of these Betsy-Tacy-Tib books twice. I loved them as a child, as a young adult, and now, reading them with my daughter, as a mother. What a wonderful world it was!”

Anna Quindlen

“There are three authors whose body of work I have reread more than once over my adult life: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Maud Hart Lovelace. We fell in love....and wanted to know from year to year what was happening to them. Betsy-Tacy fans never die. They just re-read.”

Meg Cabot

“Slipping into a Betsy book is like slipping into a favorite pair of well-worn slippers: It’s always a pleasure to live in Betsy’s world for a little while, to experience her simple joys, but also her (thankfully short-lived) sorrows.”

Judy Blume

“Some characters become your friends for life. That’s how it was for me with Betsy-Tacy.”

Laura Lippman

“I re-read these books every year, marveling at how a world so quaint—shirtwaists! Pompadours! Merry Widow hats!—can feature a heroine who is undeniably modern.”

Claudia Mills

“I truly consider BETSY AND TACY GO DOWNTOWN to be the finest novel in the English language! I will never love any other books as much as I love the Betsy-Tacy books.”

Esther Hautzig

“Family loyalty and the devotion of friends to one another, which for me are the defining characteristics of the Betsy-Tacy stories.”

Editorial Reviews

Slipping into a Betsy book is like slipping into a favorite pair of well-worn slippers: It’s always a pleasure to live in Betsy’s world for a little while, to experience her simple joys, but also her (thankfully short-lived) sorrows.” — Meg Cabot

“There are three authors whose body of work I have reread more than once over my adult life: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Maud Hart Lovelace. We fell in love....and wanted to know from year to year what was happening to them. Betsy-Tacy fans never die. They just re-read.” — Anna Quindlen

“I re-read these books every year, marveling at how a world so quaint—shirtwaists! Pompadours! Merry Widow hats!—can feature a heroine who is undeniably modern.” — Laura Lippman

“I read every one of these Betsy-Tacy-Tib books twice. I loved them as a child, as a young adult, and now, reading them with my daughter, as a mother. What a wonderful world it was!” — Bette Midler, actor and singer

“Some characters become your friends for life. That’s how it was for me with Betsy-Tacy.” — Judy Blume, bestselling author

“The Betsy-Tacy books were among my favorites when I was growing up.” — Nora Ephron, Academy Award-nominated director

“I am fairly certain that my independent, high-spirited grandmother must have had a childhood similar to Betsy Ray’s…As I read..., I felt that I was having an unexpected and welcome peek into Granny’s childhood—a gift to me from Maud Hart Lovelace.” — Ann M. Martin, creator/author of The Baby-sitter's Club

“Family loyalty and the devotion of friends to one another, which for me are the defining characteristics of the Betsy-Tacy stories.” — Esther Hautzig, Award-winning author, former Director of Children’s Book Promotion for Thomas Y. Crowell Co., and former publicist for Betsy’s Wedding in 1955

“I truly consider BETSY AND TACY GO DOWNTOWN to be the finest novel in the English language! I will never love any other books as much as I love the Betsy-Tacy books.” — Claudia Mills, children’s book author, winner of National Book Award and Golden Kite Award

“I grew up 30 miles north of Mankato, and trips to town were filled with mystery and magic, because I was walking the same streets that Betsy and Tacy once walked. The Betsy-Tacy books...., more than any other books, fed my dream of becoming a writer one day.” — Jill Kalz, 2008 MN Book Awards Readers' Choice Award winner

“When I was growing up in the Bronx, I had lots of friends. But the girls I most enjoyed spending time with were Betsy, Tacy and Tib....in the series by Maud Hart Lovelace... – three girls full of good ideas, adventures and fun.” — Johanna Hurwitz, award-winning author of more than sixty popular books for young readers

From the Publisher

Family loyalty and the devotion of friends to one another, which for me are the defining characteristics of the Betsy-Tacy stories.

Esther Hautzig

Some characters become your friends for life. That’s how it was for me with Betsy-Tacy.

Judy Blume

I am fairly certain that my independent, high-spirited grandmother must have had a childhood similar to Betsy Ray’s…As I read..., I felt that I was having an unexpected and welcome peek into Granny’s childhood—a gift to me from Maud Hart Lovelace.

Ann M. Martin

The Betsy-Tacy books were among my favorites when I was growing up.

Nora Ephron

There are three authors whose body of work I have reread more than once over my adult life: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Maud Hart Lovelace. We fell in love....and wanted to know from year to year what was happening to them. Betsy-Tacy fans never die. They just re-read.

Anna Quindlen

I re-read these books every year, marveling at how a world so quaint—shirtwaists! Pompadours! Merry Widow hats!—can feature a heroine who is undeniably modern.

Laura Lippman

I truly consider BETSY AND TACY GO DOWNTOWN to be the finest novel in the English language! I will never love any other books as much as I love the Betsy-Tacy books.

Claudia Mills

Slipping into a Betsy book is like slipping into a favorite pair of well-worn slippers: It’s always a pleasure to live in Betsy’s world for a little while, to experience her simple joys, but also her (thankfully short-lived) sorrows.

Meg Cabot

I grew up 30 miles north of Mankato, and trips to town were filled with mystery and magic, because I was walking the same streets that Betsy and Tacy once walked. The Betsy-Tacy books...., more than any other books, fed my dream of becoming a writer one day.

Jill Kalz

I read every one of these Betsy-Tacy-Tib books twice. I loved them as a child, as a young adult, and now, reading them with my daughter, as a mother. What a wonderful world it was!

Bette Midler

When I was growing up in the Bronx, I had lots of friends. But the girls I most enjoyed spending time with were Betsy, Tacy and Tib....in the series by Maud Hart Lovelace... – three girls full of good ideas, adventures and fun.

Johanna Hurwitz