I also loved reading about the many ways in which their lives differed from mine. I loved that Betsy and Tacy played dress up and with paper dolls, just like me. There was such richness in Betsy’s experience of the world. Deep Valley seemed like an ideal place to grow up, and Betsy Ray’s “crowd” felt like the sort of friends that anyone would be lucky to have. The magic of Deep ValleyĪs a child, these books felt magical to me. Over time, the two developed into fuller characters, and their stories became more involved. As her daughter grew older, so did Betsy and Tacy. Apparently Maud Hart Lovelace told these stories to her daughter at bedtime before turning them into books. As the series progresses, the reading level of the books also advances, so a child can read about Betsy and Tacy growing up as they themselves are maturing (which is just what I did and recommend).

Maud Hart Lovelace wrote 10 books that center on Betsy, and 3 more that focus on other Deep Valley characters. In total, there are 13 books in the Betsy-Tacy series. The books are set around the turn of the 20 th century in the small Minnesota town of “Deep Valley.” The series then follows Betsy throughout her adolescence and concludes during World War I with Betsy’s first year of marriage.

Together they share the difficulties and joys of growing up, going on countless adventures – both real and imagined. But the girls befriend one another at Betsy’s 5 th birthday party and soon become inseparable. Betsy is excited to discover that Tacy is exactly Betsy’s age, although Tacy initially refuses to speak to her due to bashfulness. The girls meet when Tacy’s family moves into the house across the street from Betsy’s family. The series is about a young girl named Betsy, and her bashful, redheaded friend Tacy. I loved these books with all of my heart then, and to this day, I still enjoy reading them! As I was growing up, I read them more times than I can count. When I think of books that defined my childhood, the Betsy-Tacy series books are the first to come to mind.

Maud hart lovelace books in order