Books like BT

[CLM]

It is interesting that there are certain books that have a Betsy-Tacy feel. One that comes to mind is Two Are Better Than One by Carol Ryrie Brink. Best friends, midwest setting, neighbors, love books, have impulsive ideas that get them into trouble...

[CmPete]

Aside from the obvious favorites of the group (AAKF, LIW..) I think of "Those Miller Girls" "The Motoring Millers" and "Does Anybody Love Lou Emma Miller" by Alberta W. Constant.

Youngsters have adventures (though in the Miller's case it is sister) in 1909 Kansas small town. They are delightful books, written in the mid-60s. And they feature a goat named Swish (very weak BT tie in....) In this trilogy, the family has lost mother/wife. Father (an absent minded professor) remarries to the delight of all. Girls grow up.

[Allison]

The Year of the Dog, by Grace Lin, instantly reminded me of a contemporary Betsy-Tacy. It's a charming book about friendship and family chronicling the everyday adventures of a young Taiwanese-American girl at school and home, with wonderful illustrations by the author. I highly recommend it! As a bonus, I've heard that Grace Lin is a Betsy-Tacy fan herself. :)

[CLM]

I recommend They Loved to Laugh by Kathryn Worth, still in print. Unfortunately, her other books, The Middle Button, New Worlds for Josie, and Sea Change are very hard to find.

[Stephanie]

Don't forget the Beany Malone series by Lenora Mattingly Weber! It's set in the late 1940s/early 1950s, but it has a Betsyish feel, especially with regard to heroine Beany's relationship to her siblings.

Also - The Melendy Family books by Elizabeth Enright - features artistic children who work toward their respective callings much the way Betsy embraced her writing, Tib pursued dancing, and Julia trained to be a opera singer.

I Capture the Castle feels Betsy-ish, as its protagonist is a young writer. The tone is definitely more sophisticated than the Deep Valley books, and is decidedly more English.

I always love Lucy Maud Montgomery's books for their heroines, who are both upbeat and stubborn (much like Betsy).

Mary S. Lovell's biography of The Mitford Sisters is good if you like reading about families in which siblings have a set idea of what they want to do when they get older (even though Unity's dream was to become friends with Hitler!)

Of course, the ultimate movie for Betsy-Tacy lovers is MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS. Same time period, same region of the country, same big, rollicking family. A joy to watch!

[Wendy]

The book of Meet Me in St. Louis is very good, too--really, while I was reading it, I sometimes forgot that it wasn't a BT book.

Norma Johnston's Keeping Days series is pretty much BT fanfic.

[CLM]

Has anyone read my favorite book by Elizabeth Janet Gray, which is called Jane Hope? Jane Hope grows up in Chapel Hill, NC, right before the Civil War, part of a big Southern family but not a glamorous belle like her mother or sister.

[Stephanie]

Hmmm...I haven't read Jane Hope, Constance. I will have to pick it up.

[Lisa]

Chandra, Has she ever enjoyed books about 12 year old girls? I think given how much she likes the first 3, I'd have her try Downtown, yes! (It's still innocent and very old fashioned.)

[Wendy]

Edward Eager! I think The Story Girl is probably on the dense/sophisticated side. Like Anne, it was written for adults. Probably ages 12-14 for that one. My niece is just the same age as your daughter and she loves the Gone-Away Lake books. Katie John series. Ruth Chew's witch books. The first four Little House books, especially 1 and 4. Homer Price. All-of-a-Kind Family.

[Reina]

Hi! I like the All-of-a-Kind Family and the Five Little Peppers and How They Grew for a similar family and time period feel. For a great read with strong girl characters, I love The Penderwicks and its sequels by Jeanne Birdsall. I'm reading the 3rd book right now and its just comforting. :)

[Peggy]

Yes, I love this book!

CLM wrote: "Has anyone read my favorite book by Elizabeth Janet Gray, which is called Jane Hope? Jane Hope grows up in Chapel Hill, NC, right before the Civil War, part of a big Southern family but not a gla..."

[Marcy]

Betsy Tacy fans will love Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald. Very different from Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. Eloquent read a loud about two orphan girls learning to take care of themselves.

[Marcy]

This is not a series, it stands alone. Although it has some dated references (which I always feel can be interpreted when reading aloud with young children); it is old fashioned in a charming way, with two spitfire little girls ready to solve the problems of their life. The language begs to be read aloud. Written in the 50s it was just rereleased a few years ago and i stumbled on it. Hadn't known about it and will definitely will read it again some day. I hope you enjoy it. I would say content wise it is for 8+.