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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
I love how she helped the teenagers enjoy their time as well.
I preread this before using it with my son Nathaniel, and I'm really looking forward to reading it again with him and maybe the other kids as well.
It was amazing! Tiny tears filled my eyes when I finished this book, because it was such a unique and satisfying story. Beautiful!
Sort of an Eight Cousins for the younger set, this is the classic old-fashioned story of thin & nervous city child getting sent to live with country relatives, where she looses her timidity, learns to make applesauce and pats of butter and take care of others, and turns into a sturdy, rosy-cheeked girl. The authorial voice is a bit strong, with plenty of "Reader, let us leave Betsy to her thoughts" comments, and you cynics might find it a bit too heartwarming, but the characters were pleasantly rounded, in form and in content, and on the whole is was a sweet, satisfying, wholesome story. Betsy is nine, but the story could easily be appreciated by the younger set. I still want to find the modern equivalent of this kind of story, where a coddled, nervous child becomes strong and self-assured (and eats as much good food as she pleases). The Putneys, who care for Betsy, guide her but leave her alone. She learns to use her own judgment by being put in situations where she must - everything from how much sugar to add to the applesauce to helping out a neglected boy at school. Betsy panics and feels incapable, but unlike with her Aunt Frances, who rushed to help with any little problem, the Putneys let Betsy figure things out on her own.
What a delightful book. My only regret is that it took me so long to discover it!
I had not heard of this older book before it hit a recommended reading list in homeschool. It’s fantastic. The language is complex but the story is fresh and has such depth of character development, plus a lot of great application for kids who struggle with anxiety. Loved it.
One of my childhood favorites; probably a large part of what caused me to leave my beloved Oregon for college in Vermont.
This book was first published in 1917, and it's fascinating to see the way life is described with the same old battles: technology vs. simple living, co-dependence vs. pluck, overprotective parenting vs. go-run-around-in-the-dirt parenting. Also it's supposed to be for 10-year-old girls, and reads like an ad for Montessori education, but it was such a charming little story that I think Fisher totally sold me.