Bobby and Betty with the workers

In Short

Bobby and Betty spend their days exploring the bustling shops and street vendors of their community, from the milkman and baker to the tailor and hardware store owner. As they visit each trade, they learn how neighborhood workers provide essential goods and services, manage money, and keep the town running smoothly. Interspersing these visits with imaginative play, nursery rhymes, and traditional riddles, the children gradually discover the value of labor, cooperation, and community interdependence, culminating in a successful savings goal for brand-new roller skates.

The Story

The daily life of Bobby and Betty unfolds through a steady series of neighborhood excursions and domestic routines. The morning begins with the milkman delivering fresh bottles to the back door, setting a dependable rhythm for the day. Soon, Mother gives Bobby and Betty two dimes to walk down to the baker's shop, where they purchase a warm cherry pie for eighteen cents, pocketing their change and reciting old rimes about Simple Simon. At home, Father shares historical tales of itinerant street vendors like Colly-Molly-Puff, the muffin man, and Tiddy-doll, contrasting past ways of selling goods with modern storefronts.

The children's explorations continue as they visit the grocery store with Mother, buy bananas from a pushcart vendor, and select a pound of ham at the meat market. During story hours, they examine books featuring old-time street characters like the rabbit woman and the chicken man, noting how shopping has moved indoors. When their footwear wears out, they visit the local shoemaker to watch him stitch and peg soles, inspiring them to set up a game of shoemaker at home with their friends.

Clothing and personal care form another major branch of their education. Mother takes Betty to the dressmaker's shop for fittings, while Bobby accompanies Father to the tailor and the dry-goods store for a new suit and hat. They visit the barber for haircuts, encounter the laundryman, and marvel at the balloon and broom men passing by. One afternoon, captivated by the music of a hand-organ man, Bobby and Betty wander too far down the street and lose their way. A kind policeman finds them and escorts them safely home, leading to a gentle lesson from Mother about listening to music without straying from the block.

Looking toward future goals, the children eagerly seek ways to earn money for roller skates. They bundle old newspapers and sell them alongside empty bottles to the junkman, earning twenty-five cents and three cents respectively. Mother helps them divide their earnings. Finally, armed with their savings, Bobby and Betty walk to the hardware store with Mother, carefully select two-dollar roller skates, and deposit their remaining coins into savings banks for future dreams.

How It Unfolds

The milkman's daily round The morning begins with the milkman faithfully delivering quart bottles of milk to the back door regardless of the weather. Bobby and Betty recognize his reliable presence and understand how his wise horse knows exactly where to stop.

The baker's shop Armed with two dimes from Mother, the children walk to the local bakery and wait their turn behind six other customers. Bobby buys an eighteen-cent cherry pie and receives his correct change before proudly bringing the treat home.

The shoemaker's bench After visiting the shoemaker to watch him mend their worn footwear, Bobby and Betty organize a lively game with their friends. They take turns acting out the steps of hammering, stitching, and passing the shoe along a circle.

The wandering musician Entranced by the tunes of a hand-organ man, the children follow him past their block and momentarily lose their way home. A friendly policeman steps in to guide them back, teaching them a memorable lesson about boundaries.

The junkman's visit Hoping to purchase roller skates, Bobby and Betty gather old newspapers into neat bundles and collect twelve empty bottles. The junkman weighs their goods, pays them twenty-eight cents in total, and drives away to continue his route.

The People

Bobby is an eager, active boy who takes great pride in carrying money, handling errands like buying pies and suits, and learning practical trades. He occasionally acts impulsively, such as when he follows the hand-organ too far, but he learns valuable lessons about responsibility from the adults around him.

Betty is observant and inquisitive, sharing every adventure with her brother while eagerly asking questions about how things are made and sold. She enjoys dress-up, helps care for the household, and participates fully in managing money and earning funds.

Mother provides steady guidance, structure, and affection. She carefully doles out shopping duties, teaches the children how to count change, and offers gentle wisdom when they make mistakes.

Father acts as a storyteller and mentor, connecting the children's daily observations with historical context about past street vendors and traditional trades.

The community workers—including the baker, shoemaker, dressmaker, barber, and hardware merchant—interact with the children with patience and kindness, modeling efficiency, honesty, and skill. The friendly policeman serves as a protective figure who ensures the children's safety when they wander.

In Its Own Voice

“That’s so,” said Bobby. “I forgot the money. I was going to be like Simple Simon.”

Bobby references a classic nursery rhyme character when he realizes he has temporarily forgotten his errand money.

“When I’m a man, I’ll be a shoemaker if I can.”

This line from an action song captures the children's playful aspiration to grow up and master a traditional trade.

“This is fun,” said Bobby. “It’s just like being grown up.”

Bobby expresses his youthful delight and independence while following the street musician through the neighborhood.

What It's Really About

The book explores the interdependent relationship between the individual, the family, and the broader community. Underneath the simple plot lies an explicit argument for civic education through direct observation and domestic participation. By examining how food is grown, how garments are sewn, and how services are exchanged, the text teaches children to respect honest labor and efficient craftsmanship. It emphasizes core ethical values—such as honesty in weights and measures, cleanliness, promptness, and financial prudence—showing how a well-run community depends on the faithful cooperation of all its members.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in early twentieth-century educational history or vintage children's literature will find this book a charming historical artifact. Reading it feels like stepping into a simpler, highly structured pastoral world where every shopkeeper has a name and every daily task is an opportunity for instruction. Modern readers should note the period's starkly traditional gender roles, where domestic tasks and shopping are sharply divided, and the language reflects early twentieth-century school reader conventions. Yet, the warmth of the family interactions, the rhythmic inclusion of classic nursery rhymes, and the universal joy of children earning their first pair of roller skates remain genuinely endearing.