Understood Betsy

By: Dorothy Canfield

Narrated by: Bobbie Frohman

Elizabeth Ann was orphaned at an early age and raised by her maiden aunts in the busy city. Sudden illness forces the aunts to send Betsy to other relatives, The Putnams, who live in the country on a farm. Betsy learns all about the farm and making butter and applesauce and dearly loves her new life. When one of the aunts comes back and wants to take Betsy back to the city. . . such a dilemma!

Children can readily relate to Betsy who is a real girl in a real world where fortune seems to direct her life. She so loves being on the farm and doing all the things a farm girl does, including going to school. When fate again intervenes and tries to take her away from the life she loves, some manner of common sense hitcomes into play and Betsy, though torn, bounds into another day of farmlife, full of caring love for all she comes in contact with, and grows into a beautiful young lady.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 01. Aunt Harriet Has a Cough

Chapter 02. Betsy Holds the Reins

Chapter 03. A Short Morning

Chapter 04. Betsy Goes to School

Chapter 05. What Grade is Betsy?

Chapter 06. If You Don't Like Conversation in a Book Skip this Chapter!

Chapter 07. Elizabeth Ann Fails in an Examination

Chapter 08. Betsy Starts a Sewing Society

Chapter 09. The New Clothes Fail

Chapter 10. Betsy Has a Birthday

Chapter 11. "Understood Aunt Frances"

Dorothy Canfield

Dorothea Frances Canfield (1879-1958) was an American author and both an child and adult educational activist. Canfield worked closely with Maria Monterssori in Italy, and was greatly influential in promoting education in the United States.

Dorothy Canfield was born in Kansas, but her family traveled as her father's academic career progressed, he eventually became president of Ohio State University. Canfield settled in Vermont with her husband and children, and continued writing professionally.

Public Domain (P)2006 Alcazar Audioworks

Good Story

It is a little slow at first, but once you get into the story, you won't want to stop listening.

Lovely story

This tale takes me back to a time when hard work and family were important. I enjoyed the story very much. It's a simple children's tale but adults can get much from it, as well.

great book

such a fun older book with a girl learning to think for herself. she's learning to be her own person. we enjoyed it!

I love this!

This was one of my favorite books as a child, loved listening to being brought to life. So excited to share this with my grandchildren!

Helicopter parent, enter at your own risk

'Understood Betsy' shows us a little girl who grows up to enjoy learning, become curious, act with courage and love work. The setting is around 1900 and the risk-averse Aunt Francis, because of other duties, has to put little Betsy under the care of the gauche farmer cousins. Surprisingly, Betsy thrives.

All of my kids, aged 3-12 loved this story. The narration was good, in that the narrator brings out the right nuance in such a way that little kids get what's being suggested but not being said. This story ranks up w Little House on the Prairie and Little Britches