Understood Betsy

Rating:
Summary: Wise and gentle
Review: "Understood Betsy" presents a picture of the wise and gentle relationships within a normal family during the second decade of the 20th century. Other reviewers have compared the management techniques of the Putneys to the teachings of Montessori. This simple farm family exhibited a great deal of sound understanding of how a child's mind really works.

Interesting that without offering Betsy a lot of their completely undivided attention (as her anxious, obsessive Aunt Frances had done for the most of the little girl's previous life), her austere New England relatives managed by including her in their ordinary activities to make her feel loved, wanted, and "understood" in a way that she needed badly. Not only that, but in this new atmosphere her spirit blossomed until she herself was able to extend love, caring, and understanding to others. Being treated as normal, she grew into what her relatives expected her to be all along.

And the story is believable. How many other children's books with a lesson to teach can claim that? How many other children's books portray the development of normal problem-solving skills in a largely uneventful life? There are no formulas here. Every chapter is an unexpected gift--unexpected, yet harmonious with the whole. You feel that it could really have happened.

Rating:
Summary: Not just for children, but for rearers of children
Review: Dorothy Canfield Fisher is simply one of the smartest psychologists, long before Freud came on the seen. In her book, Understood Betsy, Ms. Fisher not only crafts a wonderful story of how a little sheltered and fearful girl under the care of one aunt, grows into an independent thinker, and joyful person under the care of her other relatives when the former aunt is taken out of the picture.

Elizabeth Ann, known as Betsy to her farm relatives, was orphaned as a baby. Her city relatives scoop her up to save her from being reared by the 'Putney Cousins' (our heros in Vermont). But fate sweeps Elizabeth Ann away from the only woman who *understands* her, and takes her to the dreadful farm in Vermont, where children have been known to *do chores*. How does Betsy fare?

That's the children's part of the story. For the adult, especially one who is unfamiliar with children, the lesson is given that you *can* love a child into the the fearful person you yourself are. But you *can* also love a child to let that child find things out for herself, and become aware, that she is aloud to find things out for herself. Isn't it amazing that children have brains, and they do not have to be programmed by 'pre-warning' them of every consequence to their behavior?

Please read, and see Betsy grow into a useful engine (for those of you who know Thomas the Tank Engine). Please read and learn yourself, how to help your children, by learning to leave them alone to find things out for themselves.....

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Childhood Book
Review: I almost wrote "My Favorite Children's Book", but that would be misleading, because I can still read and enjoy it now. It doesn't condescend to children and appeals mainly to genuine emotions, not sentiment, so it really holds up over time.

The plot, briefly, is about a nine-year old orphan, Elizabeth Ann, who lives with her aunt and a cousin. When her aunt falls ill, Elizabeth Ann has to go live with some rural Vermont relatives, whom the rest of her family has never liked. At first Elizabeth Ann is afraid of them, too--they immediately shorten her name to Betsy--but she eventually overcomes her shyness and blossoms in the rural environment. She also learns to be much less nervous and uptight.

What really makes this book stand out are its digressions. The author, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, often informally addresses the reader: one chapter is called, "If You Don't Like Conversation in a Book, then Skip This Chapter!" The most insightful sequences show Betsy discovering that not all learning takes place in school; measuring butter with her aunt, she is astounded to discover that "an ounce" exists in real life. She thought it was only found in textbooks. But you have to read the book to see how well this is pulled off.

When I was a child I owned an edition with an afterward by Peggy Parrish, which pointed out how modern the book was for its time (it was published in 1917.) Indeed, the women and men share all the tasks, and Betsy is forbidden from nothing because of her gender. That makes this book a really excellent and inspiring gift for young girls, although its message of equality is never heavy-handed.

Occasionally there are sections that are too sentimental, and not really necessary to the story, but the rest is so good that this is easy to forgive. Conclusion: Buy it for a child, but read it for yourself first!

Rating:
Summary: How many books from your childhood do you still remember?
Review: I first received "Understood Betsy" when I was 8 years old, over 20 years ago, and I still remember some of the passages and characters as if I had read them yesterday. I read and reread this book countless times throughout my childhood.

Written in 1916, "Understood Betsy" immmerses the reader into rural life in the 1800's. Elizabeth goes from the city to live with farmer cousins, who call her Betsy. She then becomes a girl who learns to do things for herself, think for herself, and take care of others.

Most interesting, the book shows the older view of treasuring common day moments, such as making the applesauce or playing dolls. If you always enjoyed the "Little House" and "Caddie Woodlawn" books, then you will LOVE "Understood Betsey", which delves even more into the everyday life of girls in that time.

Rating:
Summary: Hooray for Understood Betsy!
Review: I have never forgotten this book! I am 37 and I believe this to be my very first favorite book. Over the years I have thought of this book and its simple charm. I recently found an old box at my mothers and was thrilled to find this delightful book. I read it right away and find I still love it as much as when I was a child. I have a 9 year old daughter and we are reading it together. The story reminds you of a simpler time and of the way you would love to of been raised. Hooray for Understood Betsy...still one of my comforting favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent! A 9 year old girl learns to think for herself.
Review: In the beginning, as Peggy Parrish puts it, Elizabeth Ann was a wimp.

She was sent to her cousins, the Putneys, in the middle of her story. They began to teach her how to think for herself.

By the end of the story she could think about anything she wanted to without explaining it to anyone. This is a very well written story. It's a wonderful book relating to life at the turn of the century. It shows how schools, homes and lifestyles have changed over the years. This is one of the top ten books on my personal list.

I received this book as a Christmas present in 1997 when I was eight years old. I thought it was an excellent story because Betsy really improved in her new one-room school. Her teacher is really nice because she let Betsy read with the seventh graders, do second grade math and third grade spelling!

This story really makes you feel like you are Betsy's friend Ellen. I also like how she and the other girls in her one-room school joined together to make new clothes for the boy whose stepfather is an alcoholic. All the people are really caring in this book.

Rating:
Summary: Hooray for Understood Betsy!
Review: My mother bought this book for me since I was a very shy and reserved child. She is a teacher and wanted to help me overcome the shyness. We read this book together and as Elizabeth Ann became Betsy, I began to open up as well. The growth of this little girl is evident and you really want her to achieve things. She is so likable as well as the other characters in the book. Dorothy Canfield Fisher should be congratulated in this "growing up" kind of book. This is a must read for any girl, even the not so shy to understand what others go through. I can't wait to read it to my 4 year old and 11 month old girls! A real treasure of literature.

Rating:
Summary: Not just for children, but for rearers of children
Review: Nine-year-old Elizabeth Ann has lead an extremely sheltered life with her fluttery, over-protective aunts in an unnamed city in the midwest. But when one of aunts becomes seriously ill, this smothering influence is suddenly removed, as the girl is sent out into the extended-family pasture. Her fragile world is turned topsy-turvy as her despairing aunts pack her off to those dreadful, Putney cousins in distant Vermont.

Astonished at being instantly called Betsy and suddenly expected to Do for herself--not to mention, for others--the girl finds herself helping with household chores for the first time in her young life. Over the months she blooms with health, intelligence, new skills, and compassion for others--this is surely the Vermont Cure! She gradually becomes the pride of the three old folks at the farm, a joy to her teacher and even a temporary big sister. Betsy is amazed to discover herself and her innate talents; she actually enjoys lending a hand and living life to the fullest. Betsy needs to exercise both her smarts, to get out of difficult situations, and her heart, to promote social justice. Settling
into a simple but comfortable New England routine, she truly matures from a fearful, dependent Elizabeth Ann, into the lively and capable Betsy. But where will she ultimately be happiest? First she just wanted to be "understood" by her adult relatives, but finally she tries to do some "understanding" herself. After all, isn't that what people basically want--to be Understood (appreciated as and for ourselves) by those dearest to us? A quaint, gentle childhood classic set in simpler times, of particular interest to girls 9-12.

Rating:
Summary: One of my very favorite children's books
Review: Oh how I wanted to be Elizabeth Ann when I was little and first read this book! First of all, I thought that Elizabeth Ann was far and away the most beautiful name I had ever heard in my entire life. And I definately identified with the dull suburban upbringing, though perhaps my parents weren't quite so hypochondriatic. How I wished that some distant relatives with a farm would suddenly appear, and take me away so that I could eat maple sugar candy and learn how to churn butter and rescue kittens and go to a one room school house!

Twenty years after I first discovered this book, it is still one of my favorites. Written by a leading advocate for Montessori-style teaching, this book empahises the importantes of self-reliance and self-teaching. Although I recognize the moralizing, now that I'm a grown-up, I never felt it when I was a kid and simply delighted in reading (over and over and over again) about the adventures of Betsy and her eccentric Vermont relatives.

Rating:
Summary: Deep and fun
Review: This story is beautiful and wittily written. Watching Betsy grow as a person is a wonder. I found myself challenged in the kind of parent I want to be, the kind of person I want to be. While my girls have been thoroughly enjoying Elizabeth Ann's adventures, I've been gaining indirect advice to make me a better mom. This one is a winner.