Snowbound with Betsy

Betsy #9

by Carolyn Haywood

The week before Christmas, a terrific snowstorm hits, and Betsy, Star, and their parents are snowbound, much to the girls' delight. There are snowmen to be built, Christmas presents to be made, and a tree to be decorated.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Christmas, Chapter Books, Juvenile, Middle Grade, Young Adult

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Carolyn Haywood was an American writer and illustrator from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She wrote 47 children's books, most notably the series under the "Eddie" and "Betsy" titles.

Reviews

[Cookie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Schmidt, my 4th grade teacher read this to us, way back in 1964 when teachers had time to nurture their students by sharing the joy of reading aloud.
I have thought of this book fondly through all these years, and also wonderful Mrs. Vivian Schmidt who taught me more than she will ever know.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe we've just been reading too many Betsy books, but I found this one somewhat tedious. The writing style just didn't seem special here. Still my son enjoyed it and it was a nice one to read over the holidays. (We skipped ahead as this is one of the later books, published in the early '60s, however there was nothing incongruous with the earlier books). I did truly appreciate and enjoy the chapter in which the children make their own Christmas presents and have their own "store" in the attic (where children and grown-ups alike can shop) because no one can get out of the house to do Christmas shopping in the real stores since they are snowed-in. It was also nice to see the spirit of kindness and hospitality when Betsy's family takes in the mother and two children whose car gets stuck in a snowdrift and are left stranded on the way to their grandmother's house for Christmas. The Byrd family stays with Betsy's family for several days and the children have many snowy adventures together.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite of Haywood's "Betsy" books.

[Selah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favorite Betsy book! I remember my mom reading it to me when I was little, and now I've read it to my children several times. Our favorite part is the popcorn incident.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet, old-fashioned book. A blizzard brings two families together and four children become quick friends. They find ways to entertain themselves by making homemade Christmas presents, playing out in the snow and visiting friends and neighbors. On the other hand, there was not much meat to the story, no deep plots or conflicts. Just a light, simple cheerful read.

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best read with ginger cookies. No popcorn, please.

Last read: 06-09-2005

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this in a Goodwill with a very vintage cover and yellowed pages and had to pick it up for our trip to Antarctica. While on the adventure, I read this and it was absolutely adorable and awesome timing to be reading such a story. I will say that it's very different from books that kids request nowadays or any that I have recently purchased for my school libraries but it had a very nice innocence and simplicity to it. I laughed when it suddenly just ended without a twist or action. Cute story. :-)

[Emma McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book to read cause it had a lot of snow in it. I liked when the Byrds came. The whole part when the Byrds came. I liked when Betsy came home from school.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never read this one as a child or teen, ordered it awhile ago at someone's recommendation.

Cute story with surprises. Glad I live where it doesn't snow, did that for a bit and never felt warm....


The week before Christmas, a terrific snowstorm hits, and Betsy, Star, and their parents are snowbound, much to the girls' delight. There are snowmen to be built, Christmas presents to be made, and a tree to be decorated.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a quick comforting read from childhood, that still offers comfort despite spelling errors ie "cooky" for cookie and errors in the narrative ( perhaps children's novels in the 1960s were not scrupulously edited ? ) in any case re-reading it did bring back a good feeling.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite Betsy book. It has so many sweet and cute things they do when there is a big snowstorm.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly sweet period piece that still appeals to children (and adults!)

[Laura Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite childhood reads and loved reading this again with my 8 year old daughter.

[Stasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So refreshingly simplistic and sweet!! I wish children like the ones in these books still existed today, always able to find something fun to do, no matter the circumstances!! 🌻

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure I'd want to be snowbound with Betsy...

[Sheree Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful memory from my childhood! Betsy and her family are snowbound the week before Christmas. The fun the children have is a wonderful sweet story.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Betsy books when I was a kid.

[Coral Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Precious heart warming christmas story

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book with my 8 year old while we were on a beach vacation, the juxtaposition of our location and temperature and what was happening in the book was rather ironic. More of a "bottle" story than many of the Betsy books but we enjoyed it.

[Karen Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I remembered this from my childhood. Now I'm not sure. My how the quality of children's books has improved over the years.

[Mary Holm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this book out of the library when I was ten and absolutely loved it. One of my all-time favorites. Being stuck in the house with a bunch of friends, while the weather raged outside, sounded wonderful to me. I loved to imagine how it would go if it happened to my family. And several years later, I actually got to experience it. My family gathered at my cousin's house for his 8th grade graduation party and it was pouring rain. The streets all flooded, waist deep, and no one could leave, so whole party had to stay over. I remember my cousins and I spent the night singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" into a tape recorder. Good times. Betsy would have been proud.

Anyway, I love the Betsy books. I'm dying to find a copy and read this again. Maybe I'll read it to my grandkids.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[carrietracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not strictly a Christmas book, Snowbound with Betsy takes place in the days leading up to Christmas as Betsy, her family and some strangers her father has collected along the highway all hunker down amidst the snowdrifts. Quaint and old-fashioned to the extreme, it's what most people mean when they talk about the "good old days".

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a hundred times while in 3rd grade and I loved it. For some reason I lost this book and I have always thought about it...it looks like a re-edition was printed so I am hoping to own this once again!

[Evelyn Saenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of Carolyn Haywood's books for young children. They are wonderful read alouds but this one is especially nice because it shows what children can do when given time and space to use their own imaginations to make up games and entertain themselves in creative, hands-on ways.

[Esther May · Rating 5 out of 5]

You cannot go wrong with a Betsy book. They are all wonderful. This one is especially good to read around Christmas or during a snowstorm. Betsy is such a sweet, kind, thoughtful girl. I love her stories.

[Jeff Brockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my Favorite books as a kid..

[Casertalaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love reading this series with Annie!!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite childhood books.

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Liked snowbound with betsy there was A Blizzard