Five or six years ago, when I first started thinking about starting a girls book group for my then two young daughters, I hosted a half-dozen gatherings one summer with a small group of girls and my oldest daughter. And of course one of the books was Betsy-Tacy, first in the series. We talked about friendship and fun, and we made fudge, just like Betsy and her classmates do in later books. I have a photo somewhere of the group of little girls with the fudge, but can't locate it easily. Later, in 2009, when our very established girls book group read Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill, we made fudge again, and the girls were old enough to do most of the boiling sugar work (a little dangerous for younger kids) themselves:
Also that girls book group meeting, in honor of Betsy, Tacy & Tib making it over the Big Hill to Little Syria, one of the moms brought a host of Lebanese treats, including fig preserves that were very interesting on fresh pita bread from a local Lebanese bakery. Here's the snack spread:
The fudge was delicious; I used my mom's recipe, which she always called "Mamie Eisenhower fudge." I call it "Norma's Famous Fudge" after my mom. Clearly it dates after the 1908 time period of the first Betsy-Tacy book (Betsy-Tacy), but it's extra delicious and from mid-20th century, when Maud Hart Lovelace was writing the books.
Betsy-Tacy Fudge (Norma’s Famous Fudge)
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk
3 cups sugar
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2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (equal to a 12oz. package)
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
Put chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, and vanilla in a large bowl, and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine milk, butter and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 6 minutes.
Pour hot mixture (careful!) over chocolate, etc., and stir until smooth. Put into a 9X 13 pan (or large pie pan--this makes for thicker pieces) and cut when cool.
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For a good summary of the series, I want to share what I wrote to the girls (and parents) in 2009 for the girls book group:
The Betsy-Tacy books are nicely divided into the four "younger" books. These are the ones I would most highly recommend for all ages of the book group:
Betsy-Tacy
Betsy, Tacy and Tib
Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (our book group read this month)
Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown
If you haven't read all the of the Betsy-Tacy earliest books, you should! The first book is available on unabridged audio CD; we had it several years ago from the library and it was an excellent production.
The Betsy high school books, perhaps more appropriate for the older girls, are:
Heaven to Betsy
Betsy in Spite of Herself
Betsy was a Junior
Betsy and Joe
There are two books about Betsy (almost) grown up:
Betsy and the Great World
Betsy's Wedding
Another book from those days is Emily of Deep Valley, probably my favorite, and Carney's House Party.
I have several comments about the "older Betsy" books. In Heaven to Betsy there is a Ouija board used several times. When I first read the book, I was really concerned for it, and I still don't like that part of it. What I found is that it allowed me to have a great discussion with my oldest about the reason it's bad and discuss how culturally it was a different time circa 1900 and there was not as much understanding about it; it was a "parlor game." We referred back to the section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on offenses against the first commandment, specifically CCC 2115-2117. The Vatican website has the CCC online here..
Melissa Wiley has a terrific introduction and list of the Betsy-Tacy books and similar Maud Hart Lovelace titles; she writes favorably here about Emily of Deep Valley. I am only sad that I missed Betsy-Tacy convert week when the "older Betsy" books were re-issued in September.
She also wrote about Heaven to Betsy here, and Betsy and Tacy Go over the Big Hill here.
Here is a link to the Betsy-Tacy Society website. Makes me want to head to Mankato, Minnesota to see the Betsy, Tacy and Tib houses! Field trip, girls?
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I'm sure no one else is asking, "Hey, Nancy, what else can I do with the Betsy-Tacy books?" but just in case you might be looking for one more thing, perhaps you might be getting a puppy, perhaps even an English Shepherd puppy. Your family is trying out different names for the new addition, and your husband finds in an older dog book that two-syllable names ending in a vowel sound are the best bet for dogs. Your family might be trying out a lot of different names, including Greek letters like Zeta and Theta, and then the breeder comments that the puppy is very shy and reserved. So maybe, after meeting the puppy a few days before you pick her up (and indeed, she is sable-haired and shy, but oh, so sweet), you mention that Tacy might be a good name. And when you pick her up one holiday Monday, that is her name, and the name really fits.
Do you enjoy the Betsy-Tacy books? What are some of your favorites?
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