Carney's House Party / Winona's Pony Cart

Deep Valley #1,3

by Maud Hart Lovelace

Two of Maud Hart Lovelace's beloved Deep Valley books join the Harper Perennial Modern Classics library, next to other enduring favorites like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, To Kill a Mockingbird and Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy books. This beautiful combination edition of Carney's House Party and Winona's Pony Cart features a foreword by author Melissa Wiley and a never-before-published biography of Lovelace illustrator Vera Neville.

Carney's House Party: In the summer of 1911, Caroline "Carney" Sibley is home from college and looking forward to hosting a monthlong house party—catching up with the old Crowd, including her friend Betsy Ray, and introducing them to her Vassar classmate Isobel Porteous. Romance is in the air with the return of Carney's high school sweetheart, Larry Humphreys, for whom she's pined all these years. Will she like him as well as she once did? Or will the exasperating Sam Hutchinson turn her head?

Winona's Pony Cart: More than anything in the world, Winona Root wants a pony for her eighth birthday. Despite her father's insistence that it's out of the question, she's wishing so hard that she's sure she'll get one—at least, that's what she tells her friends Betsy, Tacy, and Tib. . . .

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Childrens Classics, Middle Grade

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Maud Hart Lovelace was born on April 25, 1892, in Mankato, Minnesota. She was the middle of three children born to Thomas and Stella (Palmer) Hart. Her sister, Kathleen, was three years older, and her other sister, Helen, was six years younger. “That dear family" was the model for the fictional Ray family.

Maud’s birthplace was a small house on a hilly residential street several blocks above Mankato’s center business district. The street, Center Street, dead-ended at one of the town’s many hills. When Maud was a few months old, the Hart family moved two blocks up the street to 333 Center.

Shortly before Maud’s fifth birthday a “large merry Irish family" moved into the house directly across the street. Among its many children was a girl Maud’s age, Frances, nicknamed Bick, who was to be Maud’s best friend and the model for Tacy Kelly.

Tib’s character was based on another playmate, Marjorie (Midge) Gerlach, who lived nearby in a large house designed by her architect father. Maud, Bick, and Midge became lifelong friends. Maud once stated that the three couldn’t have been closer if they’d been sisters.

Reviews

[steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initial read: June 2011 | Re-reads: March 2012, May 2014, April 2018, September 2021

September 2021: This book is still my favorite. Carney is such a vibrant and well developed character and nothing makes me happier than her slowly realizing she might like Sam. Also the Betsy & Joe stuff in the background is adorable as well. A comforting and nostalgic read.

Review May 2014: I love Carney. I forget with these Deep Valley books how much I like Carney because I'm so wrapped up in Betsy's world that it's hard to relate to anyone else. But then I take a break and read this one and read about Carney and her insecurities and her feelings regarding Larry and then Sam, who really is a lovable baby hippo and how Carney is figuring out herself at the same time as these two guys are in the picture and it's wonderful. Sam is great and I love that he paid cash for her birthday flowers and he tells her because that is IMPORTANT since Carney is always telling him to stop charging things. I love Carney realizes it's easier talk to Sam about things versus Larry and then Carney confiding in Betsy and Betsy being so Betsy in her response back, "Just tell him he should have ask you to marry him and when he does, turn him down" (Oh Betsy, love). But of course that backfires as soon as Carney tells Sam that because she realizes that a) she wouldn't have said no and b) he laughs and kisses her and then they go in to talk to her parents and they are engaged but with no ring because Sam is going to pay cash and I AM OVERCOME WITH FEELINGS. . This is a fun, easy, enjoyable read. If you've read Betsy's Wedding and wondered who this Sam guy was and what the heck happened to Larry, pick up this book. You won't regret it.

Winona's Cart Party is a cute read and something I'll end up reading to my nieces one day but to be honest, 90% of the time I pick up this book it is for Carney and and Carney alone and I don't read Winona's story.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED Carney's House Party!

Have you ever read a book with *you* in it? How about *you* AND your *spouse*? I happened to tell a friend I was going to read Carney's House Party and she told me it reminded her so much of Travis and I. What?! So of course I spent the next few hours reading it ... and thought so too!

How fun to find your couple's doppelganger!

Cleanliness: Mentions a brewery, cigar, poker. "Good gracious" "jiminy" "what-in-ell" "heavens" "Gee" "gosh" "golly" "heck" "goodness" "shucks" "Good Lord" "darn" "pooh" "stupid" are said. Mentions a girl changing her petticoat and corset and ladies wearing low-cut ball gowns. Mentions Halloween. A man and young woman hold hands often, side embrace, and there are a few kisses. A man doesn't want to go to church. People talk about whether those who have never heard about God are damned. A girl kicks the wall because she's mad. A girl lies. Someone is called a sissy.

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[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really can’t express how much I love Deep Valley and these characters!❤️ Revisiting them was SO wonderful! I was full of smiles and laughs at these characters who feel like dear friends.
I just loved Carney and Sam!! They were just the best. They made me smile and laugh, and just made me so happy. ☺️
It was just so much fun to read. A great summer read! ☀️

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely Deep Valley book! Although I'm mostly a huge fan of the early Betsy-Tacy stories when the girls were little, I found Carney's story to be incredibly relatable and enjoyable.

It was so interesting reading about the relationships of "The Crowd" after they finished high school and went away to college. How refreshing it was to read that not all relationships are required to be romantic and that it's completely acceptable to have a male friend that you adore.

Following Carney, Bonnie, Isobel and Sam through each week of this special summer was fascinating and entertaining. I know I'll be reading this story again. And, I must say that I absolutely loved Sam Hutchinson—so generous, fun, friendly and helpful to all people. Such a winner!

Many thanks to my dear friend, Marjorie (@marjoriepaper on Instagram) for buddy reading this book with me. Reading this Maud Hart Lovelace together made it even more fun!

[Megan Mweemba · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

While I didn’t love this anywhere near how much I love the main Betsy-Tracy series, it was still a nice addition. It was really good to see some blanks being filled in that I always wished were addressed in the other books, like what happened with Larry and Bonnie and Tony. I also enjoyed reading the background information about the real people these characters were based on that was included in this edition.

[Madame Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carney's House Party: 3/5
I didn't really like Carney. I found her too judgmental of her friends.
Winona's Pony Cart: 5/5
Winona won me over in this one.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Maud Hart Lovelace and the Betsy-Tacy series as a kid but never came across either of these titles. Too bad, since reading this book as a world-weary adult was not the same magical experience I remember. There is a certain charm and simplicity to the stories, characters, and era that I found enchanting as a child but now tend to find somewhat naive and a little shallow. Nevertheless, I was able to summon enough nostalgia to (mostly) enjoy it. Maud Hart Lovelace remains one of my favorite childhood authors, and I'm grateful I romped through the world of Deep Valley with youthful eyes. I'd still heartily recommend her work to children and young adults.

[Marcy Wynhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK I got this as a end of chemo celebration book. Being the fan I am of Betsy/Tacy I had never read the other books feeling I might be a traitor to Betsy!! Oh Dear. Every bit as good. A few little old fashioned sexist stuff in Carney's House party, but totally wonderful writing and a great story. Winona?? All I can say is: Kindred Spirit! Am now moving on to Emily of Deep Valley. I'm in Heaven.

[Meredith Henning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I liked this one even better than Emily of Deep Valley, but they are close runners :)

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I love thee, Maud Hart Lovelace! Carney's House Party is a stand-alone book in the Betsy-Tacy collection about one of Betsy's best high-school friends, Carney Sibley. Many of our old favorites appear in this book, as well as some fun new characters. The Betsy-Tacy books are quaint, old-fashioned, and wholesome. But so what? So are a lot of other books, and most of them are boring. Lovelace has something else going on which enlivens the quaintness and old-fashioned wholesomeness. A lot of scholars describe it in terms of some kind of modern feminism, often speaking of Lovelace as ahead of her time, etc. But I don't think that's exactly right. Lovelace wasn't a feminist in the 21st century sense of that word, but there's no doubt that she loves her characters, she's invested in them, she finds them interesting and worth exploring, and most of her characters are girls and women (but certainly not all of them!). Her characters are complex and she respects that. Carney believes in votes for women, but at the Hutchinson luncheon she's so caught up in her private thoughts about the sociology of families that she can't express her views. But even if she could, she'd never be impolite about the issue! Carney's career goals are focused on marriage and children and making a home for her family, but she's thrilled to be going to Vassar and she's determined to take advantage of the excellent education there, even if it means putting off her upcoming marriage for two years. She loves going to an all women's college, but she's so happy that the "Female" in the "Vassar Female College" sign was blown off in a terrible storm years ago. Carney is just one of the many lovely and interesting people you'll meet in the world of Maud Hart Lovelace -- what a wonderful world it is!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can finally say I have read this version with the two Deep Valley books- Carney's House Party and Winona's Pony Cart. Melissa Wiley describes them best in her foreword, "facing life's challenges with Carney's integrity, Betsy's determination, and Winona's sense of fun" (xiv). I appreciated the additional author and illustrator biographies and the historical background with photographs. I learned many new details about the real-life Carney and Winona (but careful for SPOILER ALERTS!):

1) Lovelace asked Carney/Marion for permission to write about her life.
2) Carney actually went to Carleton College in Minnesota and then Vassar a year later.
3) I couldn't believe the Daisy Chain was a real thing but there are pictures!
4) Carney actually met Sam/Bill while teaching, but she did reunite with Larry/Rupe and they both decided to part ways.
5) Carney/Marion's daughter Louise was one of the first members of the Maud Hart Lovelace Society where she spoke on several different occasions.
6) Winona's character is actually based on two separate people.

I think Carney is just as remarkable a heroine as Betsy, and Winona has grown on me more after re-reading this book again. This is a must-read for Betsy-Tacy fans as it is always a treat to visit Deep Valley and be immersed in this charming world yet again!

[Kris Dersch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun additional read for fans of Betsy and Tacy who want to spend more time in their world. Be sure to read the originals first.
One thing I like about having these two together in one is that in my head I divide the Betsy-Tacy books into two groups: the first four books of the series, when the girls are little, and then the final six, the high school/adult books. These two hit both of those eras. First you have the little girls, messing around at Winona's birthday party as they are at the age where their world is getting bigger, and then in Carney's House Party you get the older girls spending time together as they enter adulthood. Fans of Carney from the high school books will appreciate that her love story gets finished here, as she is left pretty unhappy in Betsy's high school books. Fans of the series will definitely appreciate both of these.

[Rachel Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically, Carney realizes she wants to marry someone who's already rich and therefore doesn't need to think about work or be ambitious. BUT I enjoyed reading this in true chronological order — after Betsy & Joe, before Betsy & the Great World.

[Venetta Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing historical read

A quick getaway to times before my birth. And while I know it was (and still is) an entirely different story for people from my culture, it was good insight into what life was like for many during that time.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, although slight, addition to the Betsy-Tacy series. The bits about life at Vassar were fascinating as were all the details about everyday life in the "Middle West" in 1910. I would have loved the Winona story when I was seven or eight.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed both of these books - great to see cameos from other characters.

[Books I'm Not Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, these books were such a delight. I'm so happy they were reprinted along with the Betsy-Tacy books.

[Meg W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great look into Carney's life after high school.

[Brigid Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading the Deep Valley books, which are all perfect, and I will not be discussing the matter further.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Betsy-Tacy books so much, and these additions to that universe did not disappoint.

[Kati Polodna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming comfort read that made me smile.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked them. Just not as much as the original series.

[Anna Fink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle: I love these so much. Nuff said.

[Elizabeth R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful good fun as usual! I especially enjoyed Carney’s portion of the book, because who doesn’t like looking back on the fun of college?

[Lanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️🤎💜🩵💙💚💛🧡🩷🤍🩶🖤💯💯

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to revisit this scene from others' POV!

[-Grace- · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good book, but just not as good as the betsy-tacy ones.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four stars for Carney‘s story and two stars for Winona’s, averaging out to three stars for this collection. I just prefer the Deep Valley books when the girls are all older.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review of Winona's Pony Cart also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

Winona's Pony Cart is the third of the three Betsy-Tacy spin-offs, but the second one I have read, due to it and Carney's House Party being published together in the same volume. The novel was published prior to Betsy's Wedding, but is set much earlier, when Winona is about to turn eight years old. What Winona wants more than anything is a pony, and despite the fact that her father has said she can't have one, she has developed a strong belief that she will receive a pony for her birthday. So certain is she in fact that she brags to Betsy, Tacy, and Tib about it, and then invites several additional children to her party without telling her mother. When the day of the party arrives, there is a pony at the party, but this does not mean Winona's dream has been totally fulfilled.

Every child can relate to the desire for that one special birthday present, and Lovelace captures it well in this quick read. Though Winona is clearly very spoiled, she is not especially bratty. She, like many kids, just gets caught up in the excitement of possibly having the one thing she wants more than anything else. Any child who has ever had to limit the guest list at a party also understands her desire to invite extra guests, and her complete disregard for the fact that her mother would need to be told of the additions. Winona is just a very real character, and everyone has either been in her shoes, or knows someone very much like her.

This book really drives home Lovelace's talent for turning everyday experiences into engaging stories. The writing in this book is so effortless, and girls who are the same age as Winona will love it, even today, because it touches on a universal experience and turns into a very satisfying story with a well-earned happy ending.

This review of Carney's House Party also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

Carney's House Party is one of three spin-offs to the Betsy-Tacy series, published between Betsy and Joe and Betsy and the Great World. Carney has just finished her sophomore year at Vassar College, and though she is hesitant about it, she invites her roommate, Isobel, to Deep Valley to join her two-week-long house party. Shortly after Isobel arrives, she and Carney meet a young rich man named Sam Hutchinson. Though Carney instantly dismisses him on the grounds that he looks like a "baby hippo," Sam keeps appearing and reappearing wherever Carney goes throughout the summer. Because Carney is still waiting to find out whether she and childhood sweetheart Larry Humphreys will end up together, she assumes Sam is pursuing Isobel, but is soon surprised to discover she might have more than one man vying for her affection.

I have been looking forward to reading this book for a long time because Vassar is my alma mater, and I knew there were at least a few scenes set on campus. I loved the descriptions of early 20th century college life, and of the Vassar daisy chain tradition, and I could imagine just exactly how landmarks like Main Building and Sunset Hill must have looked way back when. Beyond that, though, this book is just really well-written and easy to zip right through. I love that Lovelace is able to turn a "baby hippo" into a romantic hero, and that her treatment of romance in general is so old-fashioned and polite. Today's teen books are so sexualized and "edgy" that it's nice to be able to settle into a book like this, where everything feels positive and pleasant, even when disappointments occur.

I don't re-read a lot, but this book seems like one I might return to in order to read particular scenes or moments over again. It's just such a warm and comforting book, and a very tame and "safe" romance story. Since the characters are all in college and concerned with marriage, the story is probably most interesting to older teens, but because everything is so tasteful, there would be no problem with a middle schooler or even an upper elementary reader picking it up. Highly recommended, especially to fans of the Betsy-Tacy series, and to those who like Beverly Cleary's vintage romances.

[Florinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy books were among my favorites as a child and young teen, and I was thrilled when the four high-school Betsy-Tacy novels and two "adult Betsy" stories were re-issued in 2009 as two-in-one volumes. However, Lovelace also wrote a couple of "spinoff" novels featuring characters introduced in those books, and those have always been harder to find. Harper Perennial has now reissued those as well, in editions that match last year's reprints and including new forewords and supplemental material.

I don't think I read Winona's Pony Cart as a child, although I knew Winona Root from the Betsy-Tacy stories beginning with Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown. This story, featuring an eight-year-old Winona Root and appearances by Betsy, Tacy, and Tib, provides a little more background about a character that's both friend and rival to Lovelace's primary heroines. It's an enjoyable children's book - engagingly written, not overly cute, fun to read - but it is definitely a children's book, and therefore a bit too light a read for my personal taste. If I had a young daughter, I think I'd enjoy reading it to and/or with her, but for myself...well, if it weren't a companion to Carney's House Party, I'd probably have passed it up.

Carney's House Party falls chronologically in between Lovelace's Betsy and Joe and Betsy and the Great World and centers on Betsy's high-school friend Caroline "Carney" Sibley, returned to Deep Valley, Minnesota for the summer between her sophomore and junior years at Vassar College. Going back East for college is unusual for the kids in Betsy's Crowd, and it's broadening and reshaping Carney's view of the world. It's also made her wonder how her East Coast roommate Isobel, who has accompanied her back to Deep Valley, will perceive her family, her hometown, and her native Middle West.

It's quite a summer for visitors to Deep Valley, and they're converging on the Sibleys' house. The house party also includes Carney's dear friend Bonnie Andrews, recently returned from Europe, and Betsy Ray herself, headed back to Minneapolis after months spent at her grandmother's home in San Diego recovering from appendicitis. Also coming from California: Larry Humphreys, Carney's high-school boyfriend, who moved out there with his family four years earlier. Larry and Carney have faithfully exchanged letters since he left, but haven't seen each other, and it seems that neither can move ahead with certain aspects of their futures until they do.

It's a fun summer, full of games and parties, and friendship, but it's also a time of sorting out unfinished business and re-evaluating both old and new relationships.

I've only read Carney's House Party once before, and it was a long time ago. I didn't remember as much about it as I had of the Betsy-Tacy books, but I always liked Carney as a character and I enjoyed seeing her again. While her educational aims were higher than Betsy's, she was never as concerned with a career; Betsy always wanted to be a writer, but Carney and Bonnie had been preparing their hope chests since high school and were more interested in when - and with whom - they'd start families of their own. Carney had wondered for years if her future would be with Larry, and it's important - to both of them - to find out.

Like Lovelace's other novels featuring these characters as teenagers and adults, Carney's House Party contains details that place it at a specific point in time, and yet the story it tells isn't dated. The characters are well-developed and ring true - as they should, since they're nearly all based on real people in the author's life - and as such, they're timeless. This novel isn't essential to the Betsy Ray story, but it's an enjoyable read, both as a supplement to that story and in its own right.