Understood Betsy

I asked my aunt, a former librarian now in her 90's, what her favorite book was as a child. Without hesitation, she said, "Oh, Understood Betsy!" So I bought it to read to my granddaughters. I just read it myself, and LOVED it! What a refreshing and satisfying story about an orphan girl who is so loved by two families. No self-centeredness nor victimization are encouraged in this book. The main character is a very admirable girl who matures as she learns life's lessons. The story is an inspiration to anyone who reads it. I wish that modern books for children were as wonderful as this one. No predictable agendas are pushed...just people doing the right thing, putting others before themselves, and making life pleasant for each other. I love books that make me aspire to do better! Don't miss this one!

Understood Betsy is my favorite book from childhood. This particular printing of it is very sub-par. The back cover features only the first two paragraphs of the story, not a synopsis. The print is tiny. The margins are small. The text looks like it was typed. Picture captions are not centered and barely separated from the text. No information on the author is included. (Dorothy Canfield Fisher definitely deserves biographical information. )My advice is to definitely buy Understood Betsy, but definitely not this edition.

Elizabeth Ann is a nine-year-old orphan girl who lives in the city home of her father's frail aunt, Great-Aunt Harriet, and is taken care of by Aunt Harriet's daughter whom she calls Aunt Frances. Elizabeth Ann, who is timid and small for her age, feels that she is understood by only Aunt Frances who coddles her and expects her to live a sheltered life which results in her being neither strong nor well. However, Aunt Harriet becomes very sick and must quickly be taken to a warmer climate, so Betsy is sent to live the nearby Lathrop cousins. When she arrives, she finds that they have an outbreak of scarlet fever, so she must go to stay with the dreaded Putney cousins of her mother on their farm near Hillsboro, VT. Uncle Henry, Aunt Abigail, and Cousin Ann, who all call her Betsy, are very different from Great-Aunt Harriet and Aunt Frances. While in Vermont, Betsy learns how to drive a horse-drawn wagon, starts helping with meal preparation, walks alone to a school where Aunt Frances has not told the teachers to pamper her, starts a sewing society among her friends and schoolmates to help a needy boy, and celebrates her tenth birthday by going to the Necronsett Valley Fair over in Woodford where she is accidentally left behind and must get herself and her little friend Molly home by themselves. By the end of her stay, she is no longer pale, thin, and weak, but tanned, muscular, and strong. What will Aunt Frances think when she comes to take Elizabeth Ann home? And will Betsy decide to go with her or will she want to stay with the Putneys? Understood Betsy is a delightful story. Dorothy Canfield Fisher helped to introduce the Montessori method of teaching into the United States, and this book reflects her belief that children learn best in natural settings rather than artificial environments. This sounds a lot like what homeschoolers have found, doesn't it? Mrs. Fisher's views that school should be a place for actual education and learning rather than a mere formality may seem quaint to some but helps to explain what so many of us have found objectionable with modern public education. The word "gosh" is used a few times, and one man says, "Lord, no." There is one reference to dancing. Some have objected to what they feel is the author's somewhat heavy-handed "preachiness," but it is still a wonderful book and will give children a good view of what life was like almost a hundred years ago.

This book, written in 1917 I believe, first off was written by a very astute woman that was revolutionary in the US Montessori educational movement. I found that out the second time I read the book. She write of a young girl loved, but very coddled by her over protective aunts who are raising her because she is orphaned. Something happened where she winds up with her cousins in Vermont, people who her aunts frown upon for they seem "cold" in their views of raising children.Well nothing could be further from the truth. Betsy's Vermont experience teaches her how to use her brain to problem solve, how to make decisions, how to think for herself... And for the first time ever Betsy no longer fears life from her aunts fearful perspective, but she is happy and finds the true meaning of love. She really finds herself and likes who she is. I highly recommend this book!!

This book is a beautiful and charming narrative of a young girl who moves from the big city to the country, attending school at a country schoolhouse, as she applies her courage and skills to develop and excel as a young girl. My wife and I are reading this aloud to each other, and we are enjoying this immensely. *And* beautifully illustrated; possibly the best-quality illustrations I have seen in a book for youth. *And* (spoiler alert) the author sometimes switches from relating the narrative to speaking directly to the reader, which are fun interjections pulling you into the narrative further.

Dorothy Canfield Fsher wrote when it was fashionable to use a good vocabulary and teach morals to children via literature. Her stories are quite entertaining. This story actually gives a glimpse into rural life as well as city life early in the 20th century. She also wrote works for adult readers. Fisher was one of my favorite authors as a child, and remains a favorite today.

This book is purely delightful. I'm reading it to my 8-year old daughter and there have been many times when I had to stop reading because I was laughing so hard! The warm, friendly, conversational tone in which the book is written works so well combined with the lovely and oftentimes very funny story.I can't recommend this book highly enough for mothers to read with their daughters. It will make you giggle, warm your hearts and give you lots to think about when it comes to things like parenting, education and growing up.I would add that although Understood Betsy was written a long time ago, the language is by no means difficult like some books from that time period are. In fact it's quite easy to understand for young children because of the casual, conversational tone. Betsy is 9 years old, but any child from age 6 to 12 would probably love this book--and I am an adult, and I love it.Definitely a new favourite!