"B" is for Betsy

K-Gr 1-Carolyn Haywood's 1939 story involves a series of mini-adventures during Betsy's first year of school. Although written more than 65 years ago, the anecdotes are just as relevant to children today: making a first friend, getting lost on the way to school, going to a birthday party, and other exciting exploits. Narrator Stina Nielson provides a straightforward interpretation, changing her tone slightly for each character. Although some of the language is archaic and politically incorrect, such as the word "Indian" instead of "Native American," this is a classic tale that could help prepare young children for their first year of school.-Cynthia Grabke, Thayer Public Library, Braintree, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In these reissues of Haywood's popular books from the forties, Betsy and her friends exchange May baskets, the neighborhood policeman (Irish, of course) is everyone's friend, and there's an old woman who sells fresh pretzels for a penny outside the schoolyard gate. The nostalgia market may be the ultimate destination for these books that depict an impossibly innocent time. [Review covers these titles: ""B"" Is for Betsy, Back to School with Betsy, Betsy and Billy, and Betsy and the Boys.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.