,
Betsy Bird

more photos (1)

year in books

Betsy Bird’s Followers (3,279)

member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
Elizabe...
17 books | 106 friends

Becky
9,564 books | 509 friends

Rebecca
3,685 books | 263 friends

Amanda ...
3,812 books | 103 friends

Marie R...
23 books | 1,644 friends

Tim
Tim
5,187 books | 148 friends

Martina...
1,696 books | 4,335 friends

Stephen
2,671 books | 93 friends

More friends…

Betsy Bird

Goodreads Author


Born
in Kalamazoo, MI, The United States
Website

Genre

Member Since
July 2007


Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, undisputed center of the universe, Betsy Bird (nee Elizabeth Ramsey) grew up and promptly left Michigan the moment her legs could propel her southward. She didn't get far. Obtaining a B.A. at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana (home of recorded jazz and don't let anyone tell you otherwise) she set her sights on Portland, Oregon. When that didn't pan out it was Minneapolis, Minnesota. Then New York, New York. In the midst of all this she somehow managed to get a library degree and a job at New York Public Library, eventually becoming their Youth Media Specialist (a.k.a. the person who bought all the kids' books for Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx). She created the children's literary blog A Fuse #8 Prod ...more

31 Days, 31 Lists: The Great Board Books of 2025

All right, all right, all right! Let’s start this month off with a bang! A board book bang, that is.

When you think about it, board books are a relatively new inclusion in the pantheon of children’s literature. For a long time (and, sadly, continuing to this day) parents were under the impression that reading to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers was a relative waste of time. Little did they s

Read more of this blog post »
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on November 30, 2025 21:00
Average rating: 3.85 · 4,136 ratings · 894 reviews · 11 distinct worksSimilar authors
Funny Girl

by
3.70 avg rating — 1,261 ratings — published 2017 — 5 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Great Santa Stakeout

by
3.93 avg rating — 650 ratings — published 2019 — 2 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Wild Things! Acts of Mischi...

by
3.99 avg rating — 611 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Giant Dance Party

by
3.67 avg rating — 464 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Long Road to the Circus

by
3.99 avg rating — 363 ratings — published 2021 — 5 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme

by
4.30 avg rating — 333 ratings2 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Born Reading: Bringing Up B...

by
3.77 avg rating — 302 ratings — published 2014 — 6 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Winged Girl of Knossos

by
3.65 avg rating — 99 ratings — published 1933 — 7 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Children's Literature Gems:...

3.92 avg rating — 73 ratings — published 2009 — 6 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Equine & Equestrian Photogr...

by
0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
More books by Betsy Bird…
Rialto
Betsy is currently reading
by Kate Milford (Goodreads Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
Rate this book
Clear rating

 
Bad Badger: A Fam...
Betsy is currently reading
by Maryrose Wood (Goodreads Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
Rate this book
Clear rating

 

Betsy’s Recent Updates

Betsy rated a book it was amazing
Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy rated a book it was amazing
The House with Nobody in It by Jon Klassen
Rate this book
Clear rating
Often value is placed on those things that people have previously forgotten about and disregarded for years. Comic books only became valuable when it became clear how many were thrown out of parents’ basements. A first edition copy of a book that had ...more
Betsy is currently reading
Rialto by Kate Milford
Rialto
by Kate Milford (Goodreads Author)
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy is currently reading
Bad Badger by Maryrose Wood
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy rated a book really liked it
History Smashers by Kate Messner
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy rated a book really liked it
An Encantadora's Guide to Monstros and Magic by Sarah J. Mendonca
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy has read
Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy rated a book really liked it
Let’s Get Together by Brandy Colbert
Let’s Get Together
by Brandy Colbert (Goodreads Author)
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy has read
Let’s Get Together by Brandy Colbert
Let’s Get Together
by Brandy Colbert (Goodreads Author)
Rate this book
Clear rating
Betsy rated a book it was amazing
The Teacher of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri
Rate this book
Clear rating
Daniel Nayeri keeps getting away with murder. Where other authors follow the beaten path and churn out respectable, comprehensible, perfectly decent works of historical fiction, Nayeri has this tendency to sort of pad in before blowing up assumptions ...more
More of Betsy's books…
Quotes by Betsy Bird  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“the sound of its own fart, is almost”
Betsy Bird, Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever.

“Matthew and Logan”
Betsy Bird, Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever.

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Winter Challenge 2010-2011 Completed Tasks (do not delete any posts) 2578 1108 Feb 28, 2011 09:05PM  
Children's Books: Martin Luther King Day 4 67 Dec 23, 2011 11:15AM  
Children's Books: December 2017: Short Stories 18 25 Dec 30, 2017 03:54PM  
Reading with Style: This topic has been closed to new comments. SU 18 Completed Tasks 891 81 Aug 31, 2018 09:02PM  
Nothing But Readi...: Team Tom Riddle 1361 328 Sep 04, 2018 11:12AM  
Nothing But Readi...: The Harry Potter Sorting Hat Reading Challenge 125 1448 Dec 16, 2022 09:01PM  
WACKY READING CHA...: Candlelight Challenge 285 256 May 06, 2023 09:05PM  
The Lost Challenges: Bands and Books (2.0) 238 209 May 16, 2023 05:19AM  
“And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things.”
Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum

“At some point we need to be understood as more of a porous social platform than an impervious temple to culture.”
James Rondeau

10373 Writers, Inc. — 35 members — last activity Feb 06, 2010 06:17PM
Attention writers! Is November your favorite month because of NaNoWriMo? Or do you just love writing whatever? Discuss what your novel is about, your ...more
13452 Art Squared Publishing — 17 members — last activity Apr 23, 2009 05:41PM
Art Squared Publishing is an art book publishing company centered around the idea that some art is for artists and non artists alike; pure, fun, and e ...more
30893 SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books — 54 members — last activity Mar 10, 2010 06:06AM
16 Books published for young people in 2009 are competing in an Epic Battle. The matches start on March 15th but the Arena is already open. Read and w ...more
Comments (showing 1-15)    post a comment »
dateDown arrow    newest »

message 15: by Valerie

Valerie Betsy, thanks for sharing your friendship.

Val
www.valeriemarchini.blogspot.com


Christine Hatfield thanks for being my friend


message 13: by Steven

Steven Stickler Thanks for the friendship. Love your reviews!


message 12: by Betsy

Betsy Unfortunately it's a little late for Halloween reviews now. Do you still want to send it to me? Pretty much at this point I wouldn't be able to review it, though I could always suggest it to NYPL for their collection.

Let me know what you prefer,

Elizabeth


message 11: by Stella

Stella Sure! We hope to sell copies before and after Halloween. I sent you a message but I'm not sure you received it. Would you like me to send you a copy? If so, could you give me an address? Sorry to sound a little dense. Since I've never asked anybody to review a book before, I'm not sure exactly what I do.

Stella

Elizabeth wrote: "Well, my general rule is that I review things originally published in the current year for kids between 0-12. So your book would certainly count. However, I'm not sure at this point if I could get ..."


message 10: by Betsy

Betsy Well, my general rule is that I review things originally published in the current year for kids between 0-12. So your book would certainly count. However, I'm not sure at this point if I could get it in, in time for Halloween. If you're still interested, though, let me know.


Stella Just wondered if you'd be interested in reviewing our book, An Eyeball In My Garden? It's an anthology of Halloween poems by 14 members of The Poets' Garage. I realize you probably already have enough to review so if you can't that's okay.

Stella Michel


message 8: by Betsy

Betsy Oh! That usually means I've reviewed it for Kirkus or TimeOut Kids New York or The New York Times or MultiCultural Review. You can always ask me where a particular review is and I'll let you know.


message 7: by Joel

Joel Simon Hi. When one of the books you post says that it has been professionally reviewed, how do we find the text of the review?


Victoria Simcox Hi Elizabeth, thanks for friending me. Have a wonderful holiday season. Victoria Simcox ") www.themagicwarble.com


message 5: by Betsy

Betsy Mighty kind of you to say, Daniel. I'm inclined in that direction, but I've a non-fiction library-related title to finish before I can delve completely into the fiction I love. Thanks for the compliment!


Daniel
I've read the book reviews of over 1,500 people here at goodreads and your book reviews, Elizabeth, of children's books, are the most comprehensive that I have seen so far. You must write some books Elizabeth.


message 3: by Betsy

Betsy Yay, books! I'm much worse in person too. Poor up-and-coming children's picture book author Leeza Hernandez spent something like $175 when I visited a bookstore with her. I'm terrible that way. Thanks for taking my recommendations to heart.


message 2: by Betsy (last edited Aug 25, 2016 12:06PM)

Betsy Ha! Mine is named Basil and he's far more popular with the kids in my library than I am. Best damn puppet they make as far as I'm concerned.


message 1: by Sarah (last edited Aug 25, 2016 12:06PM)

Sarah I have that same mouse puppet! I named mine Franklin. ;)


back to top