The Betsy-Tacy Society

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOKS

Q: Do you have a list of the Betsy-Tacy books? Should they be read in order of publication?

A: Thirteen books were published between 1940 and 1955. The ten "mainline" Betsy-Tacy books are listed below, followed by the three related "Deep Valley" books. The first four titles focus on younger children (the characters age from 5 to 10). Heaven to Betsy brings the characters to high school, and in each book they age another year until most marry in Betsy's Wedding.  Carney's House Party and Emily of Deep Valley can be read before Betsy and the Great World and Betsy's Wedding, but both have only cameo appearances by Betsy Ray. Most people read the Betsy-Tacy books straight through and then go on to the Deep Valley titles. Winona's Pony Cart returns to the earlier days of the series, when the girls were about eight years old, and is really a stand-alone book.

THE BETSY-TACY BOOKS  
Betsy-Tacy (1940)

Betsy-Tacy and Tib (1941)
Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (1942)
Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (1943)
Heaven to Betsy (1945)
Betsy in Spite of Herself (1946)
Betsy Was a Junior (1947)
Betsy and Joe (1948)
Betsy and the Great World (1952)
Betsy's Wedding (1955)

THE DEEP VALLEY BOOKS
Carney's House Party (1949)
Emily of Deep Valley (1950)
Winona's Pony Cart (1953)

If you are interested in purchasing Betsy-Tacy books, we urge you to do so through your local bookstore, as this is the best way to keep the books in print. However, you may also order them from our shop or via Amazon.com (if you use this link the BTS will get a portion of the proceeds).  Maud and Delos also wrote short stories, and some of those are also available through the BTS shop. Unfortunately most of the high school books have again gone out of print. Please buy the first four so we can keep them around for future generations!

Q: Did Maud Hart Lovelace write any other books?

A: Mrs. Lovelace wrote several other books for children, and six novels for adults (two with her husband Delos). She also wrote numerous short stories.

OTHER CHILDREN'S BOOKS
The Golden Wedge Indian Legends of South America (1942) with Delos Lovelace 
The Tune Is In The Tree (1950)
The Trees Kneel At Christmas (1951)
What Cabrillo Found (1958)
The Valentine Box (1966)

ADULT BOOKS
The Black Angels (1926)
Early Candlelight (1929)
Petticoat Court (1930)
The Charming Sally (1932)
One Stayed At Welcome (1934) with Delos Lovelace
Gentlemen From England (1937) with Delos Lovelace

Q:I have a copy of a book by Maud Hart Lovelace. Can you tell me how much it might be worth?

A:The volunteers who run the Betsy-Tacy Society are just fans like everyone else, and we have no special knowledge of values for Lovelace books. So we're unable to provide estimates of what her books might bring on the collectible market. The books certainly have commanded astronomical prices at times, especially Carney's House Party, Emily of Deep Valley, and Winona's Pony Cart, since they were out of print for decades. Although all of the books were reprinted in the 1990s and early 2000s, sadly most are again out of print. To see what prices the books are attaining these days, it's helpful to check such websites as eBay, the Advanced Book Exchange, and Bookfinder. Remember that purchase prices are always subject to condition and  edition, and non ex-library copies, especially with dust jackets are usually more sought after than library discards. 

 

We welcome your questions!
Please email membership@betsy-tacysociety.org
 

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TThe Betsy-Tacy Society
P.O. Box 94
Mankato MN 56002-0094
507-345-9777
Lenski/Neville art used by permission of HarperCollins
BTS logo by Cheryl Harness

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