Understood Betsy was one of my favorite novels when I was girl. But (to be perfectly honest) I didn’t read it for a very long time and in the process kind of forgot why it was a favorite.

When I read it again, it all came back to me why I loved it so much as a girl and even as a young woman. It was an easy choice to include in Homeschooling with Cozy Books. (It is also included in my list of 100 Wholesome Books for Girls and Tweens.)

Understood Betsy

Betsy is a mousy orphan girl who lives in the city with her great-aunt and great-aunt’s daughter on her father’s side. The aunts coddle her and protect her from life. Their constant fussing over her is turning her into a sad specimen of girlhood. When unexpected events suddenly necessitate the older women immediately leaving the city, the decision is made to send Betsy to Vermont to live with other cousins on her father’s side.

However, when Betsy arrives in Vermont there is a complication. Betsy discovers she must go live with another set of elderly cousins. the dreaded Putney cousins on her mother’s side.

What unfolds with this simple chain of events is a life-changing experience for Betsy.

I cannot recommend Understood Betsy highly enough (and the glowing reviews on Amazon support my recommendation). Understood Betsy is full of wonderful themes, truths, and lessons. Throw in the benefit of learning a little history right along with the engaging story and it is a read aloud well worth your time. I said when I shared it in my list of wholesome books that every girl should either read this book or had it read aloud to her. I still believe this to be true.

Poetry Betsy Would Enjoy In My Shop