Today’s column (gift link) tells a story of a beloved children’s author from Minnesota, but not the one that most people know about. Of course, like many, I grew up hearing the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her semi-autobiographical “Little House on the Prairie” series. It was practically required reading. My mom read a chapter a night when my sisters and I were just learning how to read. My wife and I read the “Little House” book to our children as well.
Less well known, but with an arguably more devoted fan base, is the Mankato-born author Maud Hart Lovelace. Her “Betsy-Tacy” series never achieved the same popularity as “Little House,” but those who read the books loved them. These simple stories followed a curious, ambitious young girl growing up in the early 20th century in a small town shaped by new people and changing times. In this story, people came to Minnesota, rather than leave because Pa went broke for unexplained reasons.
I didn’t know these books as a kid, but some friends talked them up them recently, especially the immigration aspect of one of the stories. In exploring the real-life story of Lovelace’s Mankato upbringing, I found some perspective we could sorely use today.
Read “The Betsy-Tacy books demonstrate humanity in Minnesota’s immigration story” in the Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Minnesota Star Tribune. His new book about Hibbing Mayor Victor Power and his momentous fight against the world’s largest corporation will be out soon.
