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Strawberry Girl
Strawberry Girl
Author: Lois Lenski
Birdie Boyer was a Florida Cracker. She belonged to a large "strawberry family," who lived on a flatwoods farm in the lake section of the state. They raised strawberries for a living. — Through all the hazards of the uncertain crop -- battling against dry weather and grass fires, the roving hogs and cattle of their neighbors -- Birdie d...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780440483472
ISBN-10: 0440483476
Publication Date: 6/1/1987
Pages: 193
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 29

4.1 stars, based on 29 ratings
Publisher: Yearling
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

miss-info avatar reviewed Strawberry Girl on + 386 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
First note: young readers might struggle with the dialogue, which is spelled out phonetically in the local dialect. For example, the girl says, "We're studying to raise strawberries," and the boy answers, "You purely can't! Can't raise nothin' on this sorry ole piece o' land but a fuss! Your strawberries won't never make."

Second note: Lenski said she wanted to "present vivid, sympathetic pictures of the real life of different kinds of Americans, against authentic backgrounds of diverse localities." I think she succeeded in this, and in that respect the book was a good, somewhat educational read. On the other hand, I did not find it a pleasant read. Across the street from Strawberry Girl's farm are the Slaters, who let their animals run loose, eating everyone else's crops, while they sit back getting drunk and plotting trouble. The two fathers go to war, and all of the casualties are animals. They get whacked throughout the book, the pigs get their ears cut off and later lose their lives, the mule gets poisoned, the chickens get shot, live bunnies get fed to a pet rattlesnake. The only animal to come through unscathed is the alligator. The feud gets put to rights in the end, but I didn't have a good time on the way there.
reviewed Strawberry Girl on + 82 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Lois Lenski wrote several books for children that give a good picture of historical settings. Strawberry Girl is one of our favorites. A great read aloud for elementary age children.
bookwormhouse avatar reviewed Strawberry Girl on
Helpful Score: 2
Wonderful book about a young girl set in the backwoods of Florida around the turn of the century. A classic!
sparrowmama avatar reviewed Strawberry Girl on
Helpful Score: 1
great book! even my boys loved it-a picture of rural life and a devoted family.
miss-info avatar reviewed Strawberry Girl on + 386 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
First note: young readers might struggle with the dialogue, which is spelled out phonetically in the local dialect. For example, the girl says, "We're studying to raise strawberries," and the boy answers, "You purely can't! Can't raise nothin' on this sorry ole piece o' land but a fuss! Your strawberries won't never make."

Second note: Lenski said she wanted to "present vivid, sympathetic pictures of the real life of different kinds of Americans, against authentic backgrounds of diverse localities." I think she succeeded in this, and in that respect the book was a good, somewhat educational read. On the other hand, I did not find it a pleasant read. Across the street from Strawberry Girl's farm are the Slaters, who let their animals run loose, eating everyone else's crops, while they sit back getting drunk and plotting trouble. The two fathers go to war, and all of the casualties are animals. They get whacked throughout the book, the pigs get their ears cut off and later lose their lives, the mule gets poisoned, the chickens get shot, live bunnies get fed to a pet rattlesnake. The only animal to come through unscathed is the alligator. The feud gets put to rights in the end, but I didn't have a good time on the way there.
Read All 10 Book Reviews of "Strawberry Girl"

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reviewed Strawberry Girl on
We have always loved this book in our family. This is such a good book!
reviewed Strawberry Girl on
Great book about life in early America (Floridy to be precise). Lois Lenski writes much old time southern flair, it makes the reader continue to speak as iffin ya still in the Boyer house, jest awaiting to see Shoestring cum up around the bend with a rattler to tease Birdie.

My 5 and 6 year old girls loved this book. We had a hard time putting it down each night. Jesus saves families just the same today as he did way back in early America!
reviewed Strawberry Girl on + 168 more book reviews
Loved it when I was teen and loved it again as an adult.
reviewed Strawberry Girl on + 190 more book reviews
A good story for young adults.


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