1955. The first four books increase in reading difficulty so that the child can grow up along with Betsy-Tacy. The Betsy-Tacy books take place mostly in the fictional town of Deep Valley, Minnesota, which is based on Mankato. They cover the period from the late 1890s, when Betsy is five years old, until World War One, by which time Betsy is newly married and has recently completed a grand tour of Europe. There are also three loosely connected books set in Deep Valley: Winona's Pony Cart, Emily of Deep Valley and Carney's House Party, in which Betsy and Tacy have minor roles. The series has been enduringly popular. The city of Mankato declared Betsy-Tacy Day on October 7, 1961. Death Lovelace spent her later years in Claremont, California, where she died in 1980. She is buried in the Glenwood Cemetery in Mankato, with a monument dedicated to her. Legacy The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award was established in 1980. Each year, a group of nominees is chosen in two categories: grades 3–5 and grades 6–8. Children who have read at least three books in the relevant category cast a vote for their favorite. Whoever gets the most votes wins the award and $100. Bibliography 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) Short Stories Auction (with Delos W. Lovelace), (ss) The Country Gentleman August 2, 1924 Borghild’s Clothes (with Delos W. Lovelace), (ss) The Modern Priscilla April 1922 Carcassonne Flyer, (ss) Sunset Magazine April 1925 Carmelita, Widow (with Delos W. Lovelace), (ss) Catholic World October 1924 East Wind (with Delos W. Lovelace), (ss) The Country Gentleman April 26, 1924 Land (with Delos W. Lovelace), (ss) Liberty August 9, 1924