Understood Betsy

Nine-year-old Elizabeth Ann has grown up cushioned and fragile under the watch of her aunt Frances, who mentions the Putney relatives only in hushed, disapproving tones. When Frances can no longer look after her, the girl is sent to live with those relatives in the rural hills of Vermont.

The move is a shock. Animals wander freely indoors, and everyone is expected to pitch in with chores. Gradually, the hard work and self-reliance change her. She makes friends and grows fond of her new family. When Frances comes back after a year, she finds a sturdier, more confident girl who now goes by Betsy.

Henry Holt and Company first published the story in 1917, and it has been read by children for more than a century. This edition includes illustrations by Kimberly Bulcken Root.