At first blush, this book might seem like "more of the same" after Heaven to Betsy. But for some reason, I liked Betsy in Spite of Herself so much more! I had a hard time adjusting to Betsy's new grown-up lifestyle in Heaven to Betsy, but I think that book served as a useful transition and actually helped to lay the groundwork for this book.
I think this book could really make a meaningful impression on the right audience, which I imagine to be 7th to 9th grade girls, ideally. Much younger kids can read it, too - there is absolutely nothing objectionable in this book - but I just think girls on the verge of dating would get more out of it.
Betsy is now a sophomore, and as usual, one of Betsy's highest priorities is boys. This year she has her eye on Phil, an older boy who drives a red auto! But, there's more to this book than just a simple girl-meets-boy story.
Betsy, feeling dissatisfied with herself, vows to be different. And who among us hasn't wished to be a little different than we are? A little more sophisticated, perhaps, or a little less shy. Maybe if we just tweaked our personalities a bit, we could win over a certain someone's affection - in Betsy's case, Phil's. While her whole endeavor to change herself might seem silly, it's actually a pretty useful exercise to see her go through with it. In the end, Betsy learns some valuable lessons, not least of which is "to thine own self be true."
In addition to the solidly developed story arc involving Betsy's personality and Phil, I also enjoyed Betsy's adventurous trip to Milwaukee. It was fascinating to learn that a young Milwaukee was heavily influenced by German immigrants! It all seemed so foreign that I felt like I could share in Betsy's excitement and wonder.
And, more than once, I appreciated how well this book portrayed the love and kindness of the Ray family. Family members didn't go around telling each other what they wanted or needed, but somehow, because they knew each other so well, the others just knew. I loved how Betsy and Julia recapped their evenings with their mother, and how Betsy and Julia were each other's confidants. I dare say I was sad to think about Julia going away to college next year... I'll just have to read the next book to see how Betsy holds up - and to see how Betsy's relationship with Joe Willard develops!
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