Tea & A Good Book Brewing- Installment 5, Carolyn Haywood
One of the most wonderful things about being a mom is reading to and enjoying books with my children! It honestly is one of the best ways to save your sanity while having fun at the same time!!!
Children bored? Read a book...
Dad late coming home from work? Read a book...
Want to teach your children something new about manners or octopuses? Read a book...
Need a ritual to announce naptime/bedtime? Read a book...
Siblings fighting? Read a book...
Rainy day in November? Read a book...
No food in the house for supper? Read a book...
Someone broke their leg? Read a book while waiting for ambulance...
Okay, so it may not be that good, but still...where would we be without books? (You don't have to answer that- I really don't want to know!!!)
I enjoy children's books in general, but storytime went up several notches once Elasa was ready to move beyond Curious George and Frances (no offense to these beloved characters, of course!) to what we refer to as "chapter books!" We've covered quite a few chapters in quite a few books by now and a few classics have even been covered twice.
Such is the case with "B" is for Betsy, written by Carolyn Haywood.
If you're looking for some classic children's stories for, say, 6-10 year olds, look no further! This book may have been published in 1939, but it is quite the timeless gem!!!
I was first introduced to the Betsy books (which is how I think of them!) thanks to Jennifer, a homeschooling mom at church, when I was a young girl. You see, at the time, our church had a school (which is no longer in existence) and the homeschoolers in grades 4 and up were welcome there for music class once a week. Jennifer's answer for those of us who were too young to go to music class was to host the 1-3 graders in her home over the same time the music class was in session. We referred to our class as "Lit. Class!" and I am pretty sure that we had the better deal! My memories of that time, although slightly vague, are very sweet ones. I remember particular books that Jennifer read during that class (B Is For Betsy being one of them!) and I feel that those simple little classes in which we were introduced to some very nice children's classics were influential to me, not only because of the books, but because here was a young homeschooling mother opening her home every week to a host of 1-3 graders and showing that time spent with children really is worthwhile!!!
Jennifer's example is one I wish to follow now that I am in her shoes.
I am currently teaching a literature class every-other Thursday at our church's co-op school to about twenty 1-3 graders. And guess what? I am reading some of the very books Jennifer read to our class all those years ago!
The Betsy books showcase an era that many would refer to as "the good old days" and, if one can judge by the books, it would certainly seem that they were! Betsy & her good friends, Billy & Ellen, among others, get into their share of scrapes, but the scrapes are believable & funny and there is an overall sense of good morals and character being upheld.
One of the very funny chapters in Betsy and the Boys is called Pancakes and Cream Puffs and it is a good example of how things often roll from one predicament to the next in these books! First of all, Betsy & Billy are left at Billy's house while Billy's mother goes out and his father is working on a project at the house but not to be disturbed!!! They are to make lunch from the pancake batter that Billy's mother left for them. Well, of course the pancake batter gets spilled and both Betsy & Billy, as well as the dog, go sliding right out the door in the batter. After attempting to wipe themselves off, they decide that it is necessary to find something else to make. Billy discovers a receipt for cream puffs and they proceed to make a batch after asking the father-who-is-not-to-be-disturbed and after he says, "Sure, sure." After mixing the batter they don't feel that it looks like very much, so they divide the dough into two equal parts and put it in the oven to bake. While the cream puffs are baking, they realize that the receipt says it is to make either twelve good size cream puffs or thirty-six small ones. "It's crazy," said Betsy. "It only makes two." When the children look into the oven, however, they see two golden pumpkins! Of course right about the time they take their gigantic cream puffs out of the oven, Billy's father comes into the kitchen and asks in astonishment who gave them permission to make cream puffs and is quite taken back to realize that he did! Billy's mother arrives on the scene, is equally astonished, and sets Betsy & Billy to work cleaning up pancake batter from the floor while she makes the filling for the giant cream puffs. When Billy asks his mother if he is going to eat it all himself, she replies that he is not. Billy's father says it is good Billy did not ask him, for he would have said, "Sure, sure."
Book one, B Is For Betsy, begins with Betsy starting first grade and by the end of the book, the school year is finished. Book two, Betsy and Billy, is of Betsy's second grade escapades, book three, Back to School with Betsy recounts third grade experiences and book four, Betsy and the Boys, is of fourth grade.
Thankfully, Carolyn Haywood was a prolific writer and she wrote many children's books, and if you put her name into the search engine of your local library's card catalogue, you will hopefully see more books not only about Betsy and her little sister Star, but some great ones about Eddie Wilson (which would especially appeal to boys!) and some misc. stories about other characters.
I would recommend trying to borrow the copies of the Betsy books in which the author did her own illustrations (thankfully these are the ones my local library has and the ones featured in my pictures!) They just feel much more authentic to me than the more modern versions I see floating around. Her illustrations are simple black & white drawings, but they are beautifully done and very true to the era in which the stories were written.
Needless to say, Elasa & I have both enjoyed many wonderful pre-nap storytimes with Betsy!!!
Today Elasa picked me some flowers from the few that are still blooming in the herb garden, thanks to the fact that we have yet to have a frost! She started out by picking only one stem and told me I could post in my blog about it. She then went on to pick a larger bouquet, to which Gavin added one bloom.
And indeed the flowers made their way into my blog post.
Just as one cannot have too many good children's book in your life, so you cannot have too many flowers.
Need to learn how to arrange flowers with really short stems in a vase? Read a book...
Children bored? Read a book...
Dad late coming home from work? Read a book...
Want to teach your children something new about manners or octopuses? Read a book...
Need a ritual to announce naptime/bedtime? Read a book...
Siblings fighting? Read a book...
Rainy day in November? Read a book...
No food in the house for supper? Read a book...
Someone broke their leg? Read a book while waiting for ambulance...
Okay, so it may not be that good, but still...where would we be without books? (You don't have to answer that- I really don't want to know!!!)
I enjoy children's books in general, but storytime went up several notches once Elasa was ready to move beyond Curious George and Frances (no offense to these beloved characters, of course!) to what we refer to as "chapter books!" We've covered quite a few chapters in quite a few books by now and a few classics have even been covered twice.
Such is the case with "B" is for Betsy, written by Carolyn Haywood.
If you're looking for some classic children's stories for, say, 6-10 year olds, look no further! This book may have been published in 1939, but it is quite the timeless gem!!!
I was first introduced to the Betsy books (which is how I think of them!) thanks to Jennifer, a homeschooling mom at church, when I was a young girl. You see, at the time, our church had a school (which is no longer in existence) and the homeschoolers in grades 4 and up were welcome there for music class once a week. Jennifer's answer for those of us who were too young to go to music class was to host the 1-3 graders in her home over the same time the music class was in session. We referred to our class as "Lit. Class!" and I am pretty sure that we had the better deal! My memories of that time, although slightly vague, are very sweet ones. I remember particular books that Jennifer read during that class (B Is For Betsy being one of them!) and I feel that those simple little classes in which we were introduced to some very nice children's classics were influential to me, not only because of the books, but because here was a young homeschooling mother opening her home every week to a host of 1-3 graders and showing that time spent with children really is worthwhile!!!
Jennifer's example is one I wish to follow now that I am in her shoes.
I am currently teaching a literature class every-other Thursday at our church's co-op school to about twenty 1-3 graders. And guess what? I am reading some of the very books Jennifer read to our class all those years ago!
The Betsy books showcase an era that many would refer to as "the good old days" and, if one can judge by the books, it would certainly seem that they were! Betsy & her good friends, Billy & Ellen, among others, get into their share of scrapes, but the scrapes are believable & funny and there is an overall sense of good morals and character being upheld.
One of the very funny chapters in Betsy and the Boys is called Pancakes and Cream Puffs and it is a good example of how things often roll from one predicament to the next in these books! First of all, Betsy & Billy are left at Billy's house while Billy's mother goes out and his father is working on a project at the house but not to be disturbed!!! They are to make lunch from the pancake batter that Billy's mother left for them. Well, of course the pancake batter gets spilled and both Betsy & Billy, as well as the dog, go sliding right out the door in the batter. After attempting to wipe themselves off, they decide that it is necessary to find something else to make. Billy discovers a receipt for cream puffs and they proceed to make a batch after asking the father-who-is-not-to-be-disturbed and after he says, "Sure, sure." After mixing the batter they don't feel that it looks like very much, so they divide the dough into two equal parts and put it in the oven to bake. While the cream puffs are baking, they realize that the receipt says it is to make either twelve good size cream puffs or thirty-six small ones. "It's crazy," said Betsy. "It only makes two." When the children look into the oven, however, they see two golden pumpkins! Of course right about the time they take their gigantic cream puffs out of the oven, Billy's father comes into the kitchen and asks in astonishment who gave them permission to make cream puffs and is quite taken back to realize that he did! Billy's mother arrives on the scene, is equally astonished, and sets Betsy & Billy to work cleaning up pancake batter from the floor while she makes the filling for the giant cream puffs. When Billy asks his mother if he is going to eat it all himself, she replies that he is not. Billy's father says it is good Billy did not ask him, for he would have said, "Sure, sure."
Book one, B Is For Betsy, begins with Betsy starting first grade and by the end of the book, the school year is finished. Book two, Betsy and Billy, is of Betsy's second grade escapades, book three, Back to School with Betsy recounts third grade experiences and book four, Betsy and the Boys, is of fourth grade.
Thankfully, Carolyn Haywood was a prolific writer and she wrote many children's books, and if you put her name into the search engine of your local library's card catalogue, you will hopefully see more books not only about Betsy and her little sister Star, but some great ones about Eddie Wilson (which would especially appeal to boys!) and some misc. stories about other characters.
I would recommend trying to borrow the copies of the Betsy books in which the author did her own illustrations (thankfully these are the ones my local library has and the ones featured in my pictures!) They just feel much more authentic to me than the more modern versions I see floating around. Her illustrations are simple black & white drawings, but they are beautifully done and very true to the era in which the stories were written.
Needless to say, Elasa & I have both enjoyed many wonderful pre-nap storytimes with Betsy!!!
Today Elasa picked me some flowers from the few that are still blooming in the herb garden, thanks to the fact that we have yet to have a frost! She started out by picking only one stem and told me I could post in my blog about it. She then went on to pick a larger bouquet, to which Gavin added one bloom.
And indeed the flowers made their way into my blog post.
Just as one cannot have too many good children's book in your life, so you cannot have too many flowers.
Need to learn how to arrange flowers with really short stems in a vase? Read a book...
Hurray for Carolyn Haywood! This brought back memories of myself reading those very same books that long ago day. I remember being very fond of those books and I took quite a liking to Betsy. I am glad Elasa can enjoy the books now and that they are getting passed through the generations;)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you were introduced to the Betsy books, too!!! I think all girls & boys everywhere should make the acquaintance of Betsy & Billy so that "the next generation" can enjoy them as much as we did! :)
DeleteMay I just say "That's my mom!" At lunch on Sunday, I was talking with some friends about how much my mom read to her children. I think it is, perhaps, the single most foundational part of my education. Mother's who read to their children are one of God's good gifts. I'm so glad you read to yours, Jo!
ReplyDeleteI came over to your blog from Dorcas and am enjoying your book posts! How fun to find another mom who loves children's books! I was thrilled to find a whole stack of Carolyn Hayward books at a used book sale when my children were small. They are well-loved!
ReplyDeleteGina