What do you think?
Rate this book
Betsy #2
Betsy and Billy
Betsy and Billy are in the second grade, where Billy demonstrates his ability for getting into trouble. “Miss Haywood knows children and her touch is sure and light. . . . [Her] lively drawings admirably illustrate each incident in the tale.”-- The New York Times Book Review
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1941
14 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Haywood
63 books81 followersCarolyn Haywood was an American writer and illustrator of children’s books, best known for her beloved “Eddie” and “Betsy” series, which captured everyday childhood with warmth and authenticity. Raised in a supportive, middle-class Philadelphia family, she developed her artistic talents early, studying art and later working as a teacher, an experience that inspired her to write for young readers. After formal training in fine arts and travel in Europe, she worked on murals before turning fully to books. Her debut, “B” is for Betsy, appeared in 1939, launching a prolific career built on close observation of children’s lives and feelings, continuing for decades.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 11, 2024
The second book in the Betsy series in which Betsy enters Second Grade and the chapters follow several of the holidays throughout the school year.
A great choice for your beginning reader!
#secondgrade #schoolyear #holidays
Ages: 4 - 9
Reading Level: 1st - 3rd grades
Content Considerations: a few naughty behaviors that are more or less resolved. There is an entire chapter about Halloween.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
A great choice for your beginning reader!
#secondgrade #schoolyear #holidays
Ages: 4 - 9
Reading Level: 1st - 3rd grades
Content Considerations: a few naughty behaviors that are more or less resolved. There is an entire chapter about Halloween.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
November 7, 2014
I pulled out the Carolyn Haywood books because I remember them making me happy when I was about 6. Instead of letting my own six year-old read them, I started reading them to her, thinking they wouldn't hold her attention without the flash and speed of more modern books. I was totally wrong. Neither of us can wait for her to get home from school to continue the adventures of this girl with the little red ribbons. Something about old fashioned, funny stories that are told slowly yet with not too much detail or metaphor hits the spot hits the spot for us. Take that Wimpy Kid.
January 16, 2021
Oh dear. Not only is there that troublesome old set of 'Indian' stereotypes, but Betsy is such a fortunate child that it's like there were 13 good fairies at her christening.
She doesn't want the teacher who wears black for second grade, so on the first day of school she discovers that teacher is gone and her beloved first grade teacher has been promoted to second grade. She wants a baby sister for Christmas... and Star is born on Christmas morning (and not only that, but Betsy gets to name the baby!). Thumpy gets picked up by the dogcatcher, but Mr. Kilpatrick happens to be driving by and so he gives her a lift to the pound. Etc.
This child will never learn resilience... and I know that I, as a child, would have been furiously envious.
I recommend skipping this one with your family. I'm all for 'teachable moments' but I think it would be hard to explain why this is bad to small children. Let me know if I'm wrong, please.
She doesn't want the teacher who wears black for second grade, so on the first day of school she discovers that teacher is gone and her beloved first grade teacher has been promoted to second grade. She wants a baby sister for Christmas... and Star is born on Christmas morning (and not only that, but Betsy gets to name the baby!). Thumpy gets picked up by the dogcatcher, but Mr. Kilpatrick happens to be driving by and so he gives her a lift to the pound. Etc.
This child will never learn resilience... and I know that I, as a child, would have been furiously envious.
I recommend skipping this one with your family. I'm all for 'teachable moments' but I think it would be hard to explain why this is bad to small children. Let me know if I'm wrong, please.
August 13, 2014
The third chapter book I read aloud with my daughter was Betsy and Billy, the second in Haywood's series of Betsy books.
Book One followed Betsy through first grade. Book Two follows Betsy through second grade, including chapters where the class dresses up for Halloween, celebrates Valentine's Day, and has a May Day maypole event. As with Book One, my daughter loved this book and couldn't wait to read the next chapter, and I enjoyed it for the nostaglia factor.
I was highly amused by the Christmas chapters. Betsy SO MUCH wants a baby sister or brother for Christmas. When her mother kisses her goodnight on Christmas Eve, she says something like, "We'll see!" There's an illustration of the goodnight kiss, and Mother is as skinny as can be. Yet, by Christmas morn, she's given birth to a little girl, whom Betsy is given free reign to name, and names Star.
Book One followed Betsy through first grade. Book Two follows Betsy through second grade, including chapters where the class dresses up for Halloween, celebrates Valentine's Day, and has a May Day maypole event. As with Book One, my daughter loved this book and couldn't wait to read the next chapter, and I enjoyed it for the nostaglia factor.
I was highly amused by the Christmas chapters. Betsy SO MUCH wants a baby sister or brother for Christmas. When her mother kisses her goodnight on Christmas Eve, she says something like, "We'll see!" There's an illustration of the goodnight kiss, and Mother is as skinny as can be. Yet, by Christmas morn, she's given birth to a little girl, whom Betsy is given free reign to name, and names Star.
September 17, 2009
I read this book back in elementary school and I don't remember anything about it except that I absolutely LOVED it. It'd be a great one for young girls and their moms. And one I'd love to revisit.
December 18, 2019
My three-year-old seriously loves these books. Time to request the next one in the series.
February 7, 2026
4.5 stars -- I am much more enthusiastic about this second of the series than I was about the first. This is not part of the Search & Purge because it is not in my library. I have at least eight of the Betsy book series, but not the first or the second. Oh well. Anyway, this is the story of Betsy's second grade year. She loses her first tooth, becomes better friends with Billy, celebrates major holidays, gets a new baby sister whom she names Star, and learns a few lessons about herself.
One way the story does show its age is when Betsy asks for a baby sister for Christmas. Her mother responds by asking if a baby brother would be just as good. Betsy basically replies 'almost', and shazam, a baby sister is born at home on Christmas morning. Nothing is ever mentioned about the impending birth prior to that moment. I remember my mother telling me a very similar story. She was born in 1940, and when she was four, a baby sister magically appeared with no conversation with her about it. My mom felt a lot of hurt and confusion as a result. Though that does not happen here, I thought it was noticeable that Betsy's mother's condition is not mentioned at all.
My biggest issue with the story is the laissez-faire attitude the family has toward their cocker spaniel, Thumpy. No, he does not act like a "good" dog, but he needs patient discipline, not just being put out in the fenced-in backyard. Betsy only seems to care after Thumpy has run out of the open gate and is picked up by the dog catcher. That chapter grated on my nerves in what was otherwise a good story for me.
Favorite Quotes:
"In the doorway stood Billy and Betsy dressed like little brothers. / 'What happened?' said Billy's mother. / 'I just wanted to give Betsy a piece of bread and molasses,' said Billy. / 'Well, everything is on the line but the dog,' said Billy's daddy."
"Betsy looked all around her. Mother was nowhere to be seen. There were a great many people but not one of them was Mother. Betsy stood very still. At first she felt terribly frightened, but then she remembered that Mother had told her that if she ever became separated from her, she should stand very still and wait. No matter how long it seemed, she must not take a step because Mother would always come back for her."
"Betsy held her presents on her lap in the train. She was very quiet. After a while she said, 'Mother, why are there so many Santa Clauses?' / 'You see,' said Mother, 'Santa Claus is the love that makes everyone want to give presents.' / 'I see,' said Betsy. 'So there are a lot of Santa Clauses because there is a lot of love.' / 'Exactly,' replied Mother."
"Betsy reached for Mother's handkerchief. / 'You were promoted, weren't you, Betsy?' said Mother. / 'Yes, but I wanted to be first,' said Betsy; 'just like last year.' / Mother patted her little girl's shoulder. 'You did the very best you could,' she said. 'That makes Father and me very happy. It doesn't matter if you were not first. You see, darling, if you were promoted number one all of the time, no one else would know how nice it is to be number one. You like sharing your toys with Ellen and now you are sharing this happiness with her.' / Betsy sat up and wiped her eyes. She was beginning to feel a little better. 'Then it doesn't matter, does it, Mother?' she said. / 'It doesn't matter at all,' said Mother."
One way the story does show its age is when Betsy asks for a baby sister for Christmas. Her mother responds by asking if a baby brother would be just as good. Betsy basically replies 'almost', and shazam, a baby sister is born at home on Christmas morning. Nothing is ever mentioned about the impending birth prior to that moment. I remember my mother telling me a very similar story. She was born in 1940, and when she was four, a baby sister magically appeared with no conversation with her about it. My mom felt a lot of hurt and confusion as a result. Though that does not happen here, I thought it was noticeable that Betsy's mother's condition is not mentioned at all.
My biggest issue with the story is the laissez-faire attitude the family has toward their cocker spaniel, Thumpy. No, he does not act like a "good" dog, but he needs patient discipline, not just being put out in the fenced-in backyard. Betsy only seems to care after Thumpy has run out of the open gate and is picked up by the dog catcher. That chapter grated on my nerves in what was otherwise a good story for me.
Favorite Quotes:
"In the doorway stood Billy and Betsy dressed like little brothers. / 'What happened?' said Billy's mother. / 'I just wanted to give Betsy a piece of bread and molasses,' said Billy. / 'Well, everything is on the line but the dog,' said Billy's daddy."
"Betsy looked all around her. Mother was nowhere to be seen. There were a great many people but not one of them was Mother. Betsy stood very still. At first she felt terribly frightened, but then she remembered that Mother had told her that if she ever became separated from her, she should stand very still and wait. No matter how long it seemed, she must not take a step because Mother would always come back for her."
"Betsy held her presents on her lap in the train. She was very quiet. After a while she said, 'Mother, why are there so many Santa Clauses?' / 'You see,' said Mother, 'Santa Claus is the love that makes everyone want to give presents.' / 'I see,' said Betsy. 'So there are a lot of Santa Clauses because there is a lot of love.' / 'Exactly,' replied Mother."
"Betsy reached for Mother's handkerchief. / 'You were promoted, weren't you, Betsy?' said Mother. / 'Yes, but I wanted to be first,' said Betsy; 'just like last year.' / Mother patted her little girl's shoulder. 'You did the very best you could,' she said. 'That makes Father and me very happy. It doesn't matter if you were not first. You see, darling, if you were promoted number one all of the time, no one else would know how nice it is to be number one. You like sharing your toys with Ellen and now you are sharing this happiness with her.' / Betsy sat up and wiped her eyes. She was beginning to feel a little better. 'Then it doesn't matter, does it, Mother?' she said. / 'It doesn't matter at all,' said Mother."
April 17, 2018
This is a really cute little series, however, given it's age it does have some problematic content such as kids dressing as 'Indians' for Halloween etc.
June 17, 2019
Charming and surprisingly not sexist for its time. Great insomnia re-read.
June 25, 2019
Betsy and Billy is my favorite Betsy book. I love these books because my name is Betsy.
November 23, 2021
It was a good book because Betsy learned things. It was exciting and enjoyable to read. - Miryam, Age 6
March 11, 2022
Don't be deceived by the horrible covers on the new editions of these books. They were originally published in the 30s and 40s and they are darling.
July 25, 2022
My kids and I are enjoying this series. Very old fashioned and sweet.
October 23, 2022
Betsy's 2nd grade year brings a surprise when the school year begins and a very special surprise for Christmas.
January 15, 2023
Betsy is a classic character I read about as a child and loved her stories. The author is very talented at writing children’s books and I recommend all children read the Betsy books.
April 3, 2020
Billy didn't factor that much into the story but my 7 year old enjoyed this one in the series too.
July 25, 2016
I have been looking for these books everywhere and I am so glad to have finally found them! While my friends in elementary school were always checking out the more "popular" books in the library, I found myself coming back to this series again and again. I'm pretty sure I read every book in the series at least twice! I'm a little perturbed to discover that they've been re-released with a more modern cover, because I actually prefer the vintage look. Brings back so many memories and should I stumble across these somewhere, I may just have to read them again!
August 10, 2016
Read this book because I promised my daughter I would.
I love the Betsy character because I think every little girl can see themselves in her.
This book was kinda boring to read straight through which is why it took me months to finish.
But Betsy and Billy are so cute.
It's nice to travel back to a simpler time when kids did plays with farm animals from their grandfather's local farm.
Great books for kids.
I love the Betsy character because I think every little girl can see themselves in her.
This book was kinda boring to read straight through which is why it took me months to finish.
But Betsy and Billy are so cute.
It's nice to travel back to a simpler time when kids did plays with farm animals from their grandfather's local farm.
Great books for kids.
October 7, 2010
Second in the Betsy series. Besty is in second grade, and her circle of friends is expanding. Billy brings daring and fun into her play day, but he is prone to get into trouble. Betsy makes mistakes, too, and has the courage to make things right.
October 15, 2012
Gosh, I loved these books in elementary school. But it was just okay for me. I guess my daughter liked it. She would laugh at funny parts. We got through this book slower than the first Betsy book, so I think we will hold off on reading the next book for a few months.
December 11, 2012
My number of stars are based on when I first read this book as a kid thirty years ago. I loved this book, and I loved the whole Betsy series. Betsy and Billy was the first one I read, and it was during summer vacation.
July 8, 2015
I think it would be fun to sale stuff like they did in Mrs. Gray's class. Me and my brother are going to do the same thing they did. My favorite part in this book was the story of the kids dressing up for Halloween.
May 10, 2010
Eh, it was okay. It is an older children's book about a couple of kids in the second grade. It was decent, but not outstanding.
October 2, 2017
I love Betsy and Billy. Love them!
March 10, 2014
I Liked betsy and billy
February 25, 2015
"I loved this book! Billy is funny" - James
Read
March 14, 2016The second Betsy book that my Betsy and I read. We have a beautiful old hard cover, not this silly paperback version. Second grade.
August 1, 2016
Another Charlotte bedtime book, continuing my streak of reading her stories about her upcoming grade before school starts.
January 2, 2016
Last read
February 2015
and
September 2014
and
January 2013
February 2015
and
September 2014
and
January 2013
February 25, 2016
I like that they were baking cookies for their mothers for Valentine's Day.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews