Away Went the Balloons

This book, by Carolyn Haywood, is somewhat different from the others we have read. It is the story of an elementary school (particularly a few first graders) that has a Balloon Day, at which time each child releases two balloons with their name attached. Each chapter tells the story of a balloon and who finds it and how or where they find it.

K. really enjoyed this book, and I'm being asked to re-read some of her favorite chapters. This was a fun read since each chapter was so different.

Here Comes the Bus!

This week we read Here Comes the Bus! by Carolyn Haywood. It is a great book about Jonathan moving to the country and his year in first grade. It has some really fun parts, like when Jonathan forgot his birthday cake and when all the children brought their pets to school -- on the bus, of course!

In this book you meet Melissa Molasses and Taffy, which are the main characters in the later book, Taffy and Melissa Molasses.

Eddie's Friend Boodles

This wasn't one of my favorite books by Carolyn Haywood. It was a good story, but not very captivating. The book did introduce us to funzies, though, and we are having fun with them. A funzie is a tall tale -- like Paul Bunyan -- something you and everyone listening knows isn't true, but it is fun to say.

Eddie's Menagerie

I was a bit disappointed in this book by Carolyn Haywood. It was written in 1978, and I guess she changed with the times and decided they didn't need to go to church on Sundays.

Other than that it was a very good story. If your children like animals, they will love Eddie and his adventures that center around the pet shop, a colorful cap, his family, and friends. Eddie is older in this book so I thought K. might not relate to it and like it as well, but she enjoyed it just fine -- "read the next chapter!"

Two and Two are Four

This book, by Carolyn Haywood, is about a family that moves from the city to the country. The Dad buys a farm, but he takes the train to the city to his job and there is an older couple (the Perkins) who work the farm. The isn't really about the farm, but about living in the country and the adventures that Teddy and Babs and the Perkins' grandchildren (Peter and Jane who come for the summer) have. The children have problems with a skunk and pigs. They go on a barge ride for the 4th of July, and they get a pony. There are a couple chapters that deal quite nicely with disobedient children, although I think I would have prefered Babs having to help clean her hat instead of it being done for her.

At the beginning of the book K. started saying, "I want to live on a farm." There are a couple chapters she really enjoyed and we have read them more than once.

"B" is for Betsy

This is the first book Carolyn Haywood wrote. On an historical note, it is interesting that in this book (written in 1939) the children's first year of school is first grade, but in Betsy's Little Star (written in 1950) the first year of school is kindergarten.

We really enjoyed "B" is for Betsy. It is full of fun with some suspense. K.'s favorite chapter was "How Betsy went to pick violets and got into trouble". One thing I really like about Carolyn Haywood's books is that the children call the adults Mr. or Mrs. It is really nice to read books that reinforce that.

Taffy and Melissa Molasses

This is one of my favorite books by Carolyn Haywood. Taffy and Melissa live on a farm and have a variety of wonderful adventures with Jonathan (Here Comes the Bus) during their summer vacation from school. From the surprise of a pony being born to being locked in the summer house during a rain storm to picking blueberries to being stranded on a rock their adventures this book are fun, realistic, and exciting.

Reading this book was the first time K. has ever said, "Read the next chapter". Her favorite chapter was about the 4th of July -- we've read it over a couple times. With the 4th just a couple weeks away it was quite appropriate to read this book now. Isn't it so neat how God orchestrates even what book I pick up to read!

Hello, Star

Hello, Star, by Carolyn Haywood, is a quick read with only eight chapters. It is a look at Star's visit to her Grandparent's farm during her fifth summer, but it isn't about the farm. Star and her cousin Jerri (boy) have adventures involving racoons and swans. The main idea of the book is that wild animals are fun to watch, but you should not try to make them pets.

Penny and Peter

We finished reading Penny and Peter by Carolyn Haywood yesterday. I'm not sure which chapter was my favorite, but K.'s was when the crabs were crawling all over in the train. Penny and Peter got into some interesting scrapes and this book had us laughing a lot. It does celebrate Christmas, but there is no mention of Santa Claus.

There were some incidents that were so familiar that I'm sure I read this book when I was in elementary school. Did you know that Carolyn Haywood wrote one book almost every year from 1939 (B is for Betsy) to 1987 (Hello, Star)!

Betsy and Mr. Kilpatrick

Oh, this was a fun book full of twists and funny happenings! In Betsy and Mr. Kilpatrick, by Carolyn Haywood, Mr. Kilpatrick, the policeman who has always seen the children across the street to school, has received a promotion and will be replaced by a lady officer. They children are sad to lose Mr. Kilpatrick and want to do something special for him.

Here's A Penny

We really enjoyed reading Here's a Penny by Carolyn Haywood. It is about a young boy, Penny, who was adopted. Having an adopted child (K.), I loved the way she presented it. The book initiated some questions and good conversations. Penny is a lovable, adventurous boy who has some trouble with getting a pet kitten and wants an older brother.

Carolyn Haywood

I'm so EXCITED! I was just on our library website requesting some of Carolyn Haywood's books. It appears that some of her books are being re-published. This is what is said:

From Carolyn Haywood, author of the beloved Betsy series, here are four more classics for young readers. These adorable stories of childhood adventures are as fresh today as when they were written more than a half century ago. And now, thanks to dynamic new covers, they're ready to charm a whole new generation of readers.

Hopefully these will get a great reception, and they will re-publish all her books!

Robert Rows the River

The setting of Robert Rows the River by Carolyn Haywood is the River Thames in England. The book takes place over a five week holiday from school. In the book Robert befriends a Romani boy, Aaron, who has a monkey for a pet. Robert has to deal with the prejudice of his other friends toward his new Gypsy friend. The boys have all sorts of adventures and at the end of the story all the children become friends.

Betsy's Little Star

We finished Betsy's Little Star by Carolyn Haywood a couple days ago. Now I am re-reading the chapters K. liked best.  This book is about Star, who is 4 years old at the beginning of the book and so not quite old enough to start kindergarten in September when all her friends do. In the last two chapters Star turns 5, her birthday is December 24th, and she starts kindergarten when school starts back up in January. In between Star had some wonderful adventures.

Carolyn Haywood writes such good books! You will find mention of Sunday School, prayer, God, and scripture in her books. However there are a few things to watch out for:

• Most of her books have a chapter on Halloween. In the 1950's when these books were written Halloween was just something everyone did. I remember I was in 5th or 6th grade when Christians started saying "What is Halloween and should we be involved?" (that was the mid 1970's). Since we haven't discussed Halloween yet and K. isn't reading yet, I just change wording as I go along so they are having a costume party.
• Most of her books have Santa Claus in them. Depending on the content, I either change wording or skip the chapter.
• The children have a lot of freedom. Star, at 4 years old, was allowed to go around the block and cross streets by herself. Again, in the 1950's that may have been okay, but today?