Books with title Understood Betsy: Illustrated

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When this story begins, Elizabeth Ann, who is the heroine of it, was a little girl of nine, who lived with her Great-aunt Harriet in a medium-sized city in a medium-sized State in the middle of this country; and that's all you need to know about the place, for it's not the important thing in the story; and anyhow you know all about it because it was probably very much like the place you live in yourself.

Understood Betsy is a 1916 novel for children by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. Understood Betsy tells of Elizabeth Ann, a 9-year-old orphan who goes from a sheltered existence with relatives in the city, to living on a Vermont farm, the Putneys, whose child-rearing practices had always seemed suspect to Harriet and her daughter. In her new rural life, Elizabeth Ann is nicknamed "Betsy," and finds that many activities that Frances had always thought too demanding for a little girl are considered, by the Putney family, ordinary expectations for a child. Betsy thrives in her new environment, learning to make butter, boil maple syrup, and tend the animals. When Frances announces she is to be married and has come to "save" Elizabeth Ann from the dreaded Putney cousins, she is amazed to discover that the little girl is quite content to stay. Understood Betsy is a wonderful book--one that should be a part of every family library.

Understood Betsy CHAPTER I AUNT HARRIET HAS A COUGH When this story begins, Elizabeth Ann, who is the heroine of it, was a little girl of nine, who lived with her Great-aunt Harriet in a medium-sized city in a medium-sized State in the middle of this country; and that's all you need to know about the place, for it's not the important thing in the story; and anyhow you know all about it because it was probably very much like the place you live in yourself. Elizabeth Ann's Great-aunt Harriet was a widow who was not very rich or very poor, and she had one daughter, Frances, who gave piano lessons to little girls. They kept a "girl" whose name was Grace and who had asthma dreadfully and wasn't very much of a "girl" at all, being nearer fifty than forty. Aunt Harriet, who was very tender-hearted, kept her chiefly because she couldn't get any other place on account of her coughing so you could hear her all over the house. So now you know the names of all the household. And this is how they looked: Aunt Harriet was very small and thin and old, Grace was very small and thin and middle-aged, Aunt Frances (for Elizabeth Ann called her "Aunt," although she was really, of course, a first-cousin-once-removed) was small and thin and if the light wasn't too strong might be called young, and Elizabeth Ann was very small and thin and little. And yet they all had plenty to eat. I wonder what was the matter with them?

Dorothy Canfield Fisher's exceptional children's novel Understood Betsy returns in this new edition, complete with all of the original illustrations. First published in 1916, Understood Betsy depicts the tale of Elizabeth Ann. An orphan, she is raised in the city by her great-aunt Harriet and her cousin Frances. Although the pair are capable in caring for young Elizabeth, their existence is a sheltered one. To Elizabeth's surprise, her mother's family - who live in rural Vermont - find her and offer her a place in their country home. Although Harriet has reservations about the manner in which the Putneys raise children, she duly packs Elizabeth off to stay there. Much of the novel regards Elizabeth's adapting to the countryside - many of the duties which are taken care of for her in the city are expected of her there. However the beauty of the country, and the practical things she learns during her upbringing, are ultimately to her benefit.

In this encouraging story of determination and perseverance, frail Betsy must leave the city to live temporarily with her cousins in the country. This is a delightful story for children reading at about the 4th grade level. Using vocabulary from yesteryear, this story sets out to tell of Betsy's many adventures at the farm and at her one-room schoolhouse. Fans of homeschooling using the Charlotte Mason philosophy will love this living book which includes the traits of perseverance and determination. This is one of the few junior books that is printed in an easy to read Dyslexic font. Gracious Words Publishing republishes classic books for children from the golden age of children's literature. All of our titles are offered in high-quality paperback editions. We print using large print Open Dyslexic Font and large layout format for little hands to hold and struggling readers to share in the joy of reading.