Maud Hart Lovelace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mrs
Maude Hart Lovelace
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| Born | Maud Palmer Hart April 25, 1892 Mankato, Minnesota |
| Died | March 11, 1980 (aged 87) Claremont, California |
| Resting place | Mankato, Minnesota |
| Language | English |
| Citizenship | USA |
Maud Hart Lovelace (born April 25, 1892, died March 11, 1980) was an American author. She is most famous for her popular Betsy-Tacy book series. These books tell stories about growing up in a small town.
Contents
Early Life and First Writings
Maud Palmer Hart was born in Mankato, Minnesota. Her father, Tom Hart, owned a shoe store. Her mother was Stella Palmer. Maud was the middle child of three sisters. Her older sister, Kathleen, became the character Julia in the Betsy-Tacy books. Her younger sister, Helen, was the character Margaret.
Maud loved writing from a very young age. She reportedly started writing as soon as she could hold a pencil. She even entered her high school's essay contests during her junior and senior years.
Education and Early Career
Maud went to the University of Minnesota. However, she took a break to recover from surgery in California. While there, she sold her very first short story. It was published in the Los Angeles Times Magazine.
She later returned to the university. She worked for the student newspaper, the Minnesota Daily. But she did not finish her degree.
Travel and Marriage
In 1914, Maud spent a year traveling in Europe. There, she met an Italian musician named Paolo Conte. He later inspired the character Marco in her book Betsy and the Great World.
Maud married writer Delos Lovelace when she was 25. They met in April 1917 and got married on Thanksgiving Day that same year. They lived apart until 1919 because Delos was serving in World War I.
After the war, the couple lived in both Minneapolis and New York. They eventually settled in New York permanently in 1928. Later, they retired to Claremont, California. They had one daughter, Merian. She was named after Delos's friend, Merian C. Cooper, who directed the famous film King Kong.
Maud's Books and Stories
Maud Hart Lovelace wrote many books. Her first book, The Black Angels, came out in 1926. It was a historical novel set in Minnesota. She wrote several other historical novels, like Early Candlelight (1929).
The Betsy-Tacy Series
Lovelace is best known for her books for children. The Betsy-Tacy series began in 1938. She started telling stories about her own childhood to her daughter, Merian. The character Betsy is based on Maud herself. Tacy is based on her childhood best friend, Frances "Bick" Kenney.
The first book, Betsy-Tacy, was published in 1940. The last book, Betsy's Wedding, came out in 1955. The first four books are written so that young readers can grow up with Betsy and Tacy. The stories mostly take place in the made-up town of Deep Valley, Minnesota. This town is based on Maud's hometown of Mankato. The books cover the time from when Betsy is five years old until she is newly married during World War One.
Other Deep Valley Stories
There are also three other books that are connected to the Deep Valley world. These are Winona's Pony Cart, Emily of Deep Valley, and Carney's House Party. Betsy and Tacy appear in these books, but they are not the main characters. The Betsy-Tacy series has always been very popular. The city of Mankato even declared October 7, 1961, as Betsy-Tacy Day!
Later Life and Legacy
Maud Hart Lovelace spent her later years in Claremont, California. She passed away there in 1980. She is buried in the Glenwood Cemetery in Mankato, Minnesota. There is a special monument dedicated to her there.
Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award
The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award was created in 1980. Each year, children can vote for their favorite books. There are two groups: grades 3–5 and grades 6–8. To vote, children must read at least three books from the list of nominees. The author who gets the most votes wins the award and $100.
You can learn more about Maud's life and work in books like The Betsy-Tacy Companion by Sharla Whalen. Another great book is Maud Hart Lovelace's Deep Valley by Julie A. Schrader.
Books by Maud Hart Lovelace
- The Black Angels (1926)
- Early Candlelight (1929)
- Petticoat Court (1930)
- The Charming Sally (1932)
- One Stayed At Welcome (1934, with Delos Lovelace)
- Gentlemen From England (1937, with Delos Lovelace)
- The Golden Wedge: Indian Legends of South America (1942, with Delos Lovelace)
- The Tune Is In The Tree (1950)
- The Trees Kneel At Christmas (1951)
- What Cabrillo Found (1958)
- The Valentine Box (1966)
Betsy-Tacy Series
- Betsy-Tacy (1940)
- Betsy-Tacy and Tib (1941)
- Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (1942)
- Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (1943)
- Heaven to Betsy (1945)
- Betsy in Spite of Herself (1946)
- Betsy Was a Junior (1947)
- Betsy and Joe (1948)
- Betsy and the Great World (1952)
- Betsy's Wedding (1955)
Deep Valley Series
- Carney's House Party (1949)
- Emily of Deep Valley (1950)
- Winona's Pony Cart (1953)
Images for kids
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Childhood home of Maud Hart Lovelace, now a museum, at 333 Center Street, Mankato, Minnesota
