I was a huge reader growing up. I read anything I could get my hands on. But apparently no one ever put the Betsy-Tacy books in my hands. In fact, I’d never even heard of this series until recently. I’m committed to give the series a fair shot and read to at least Heaven to Besty. I thought it might be interesting to chronicle this journey. I promised I wouldn’t judge yet, so that is not what this is. It’s just my thoughts as I read each book.
I finished Betsy-Tacy on Saturday during a rainy morning (in reality, I read all but the first 20 pages that morning). The first book introduces Betsy and Tacy as 5-year-olds. And the book feels like it’s meant for an audience not much older. I read a lot of young adult/kid’s lit, but even I felt a tiny bit of embarassment picking up my pink and teal copy from the library (and subsequently running into one of my former campaign volunteers). It was a nice story. It follows Betsy and Tacy through minor scenes (like making up stories of going to Milwaukee) and more major-life events (like experiences with birth and death and their first day of school). I’m sure I would have loved it as a kid, so I’m trying read as 8-year-old Michelle instead of 26-year-old Michelle.
I requested the second and third books from the library and I’m looking forward to reading them (although I am keeping my fingers crossed that they get better as many people have told me).
[Originally posted at michellen.vox.com. For the original post and comments, click here.]
my books. my life. 