Strawberry Girl

A taste of southern living in the 1900's through historical fiction.

'Strawberry Girl' by Lois Lenski is an rare insight into a child's life in the 1900's. The books main character, Birdie Boyer, and her family move from Marion County, Florida to the Roddenberry house in the backwoods of Florida. The family is greeted by the Slater's, who soon enough become their enemies and best friends. The families feud throughout the book. There are near death experience, burning woods, pig ear clipping, animal poisoning, and more. The feuding doesn't stop until kindess from one family saves the lives of the others, changing one person forever. Giving the theme of the book to be honor your neighbor because you never know when you might need them. This book was different than any book that I have read lately. I enjoyed how the author incorporated the southern language into the book, giving a more realistic touch. For instance when Birdie talks with her father after teaching Shoestring Slater a lesson for making fun of her horse her father says,'They'll be back directly don't pay no mind....Tired out with all the plowin'? Little gal like you, no bigger'n a weesny wren, plowin' a hull bug field like this.' Also the I like out the author adds different aspects of southern life. For example, the author in vivid detail describes how sugar cane is made and then how the candy is made from the cane. The author doesn't sugar coat the book most, she depicts every aspect of what life was like, from their clothing, school, farm work, and even some drunken brawls. This book is fun and exciting but is definitly not for all ages. I would recommend this book for 5th grade and above. The author Lois Lenski won he Newbery Award for 'Strawberry Girl' in 1946. She has written and illustrated many other books, but this is the most recognized. She was born in Springfield, Ohio in 1893. She graduate from Ohio State University in 1915 where she studied art. She mainly writes regional stories with a southern twang. She passed away in 1974. She was trully an amazing writer, who wrote about how life really was.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Strawberry Girl

It has 19 and a half pages. It may seem long but it is not. It starts out when the Slaters are sitting on the porch. Mr. Slater just found out some new people from Caroliny moved in to the ole Roddenberry house. They are the Boyers. They start trouble right away. They Boyers plan to grow strawberries but the Slaters say the strawberries will die. The Slaters animals wreck everything including the strawberries. Animals start to die and the Slaters start a fire. The end is real good, so you should read it and find out what happens.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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Great

I really enjoyed this book. I recommend it to everyone

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Rating

I think that it is really good in the sample hope you will make more. Meg

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My story the adventure princess

CHAPTER THREE
The door opened to reveal a young man about Kira's age. She quickly dropped into a curtsy. "Come." He said in a friendly tone. "My name is Jake. I am first mate." " l am Kira.Were you the one who captured me?" Kira asked. "No," he laughed, "that big muscled man? No. That was Kale." Kira tapped her foot impatiently. Jake, sensing what she wanted, pointed and said, " Over there." " Thank you. " she said. She walked over there tworads the table and sat down. They chatted for a little bit then they were laughing like lifelong friends. There was a bell ringing below. "Dinner!" Jake called. All the men rushed down the stairs. Jake grabbed hold of Kira's hand and they went down the stairs together. Go to gold result 5 for chapter four

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Jake

I kiss u every were then u .

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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Jake

I grab onto ur hips and start t thrust my big dikbin ur tight pusy

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Awesome

Little house books

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Escape to the back woods

I remember reading this book as a young girl and it still touches my heart today. Stories of candy pullins and eating sugar cane take me back to days gone by. Thank you Lois Lenski for providing a legacy for those of us wishing for a brief escape back to the back woods.

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fresh and realistic look at pioneer life in Florida

Even in 1900, much of the state of Florida was still a wilderness being populated by settlers. Ten-year-old Birdie (Berthenia Lou) Boyer has moved to the old Roddenberry place in the palmetto backwoods of Florida with her father Bihu, mother, older brothers Bihu Jr. (Buzz) and Dan, big sister Dixie, little sister Dovey Eudora (Dove), and baby brother Robert (Bunny). The family plans to raise and sell strawberries and oranges. Unfortunately, their nearest neighbors are the Slaters. Mr. Slater drinks quite a bit. His older sons Gus and Joe beat up the teacher Mr. Pearce so they don't have to go to school. Mrs. Slater seems nice, but is afraid of her husband and always chiding the Boyers for being too "biggety." The little Slater girls, Essie and Zephy, alternately play with the Boyer girls and then ignore them. The other Slater boy, Jeff (Jefferson Davis), nicknamed Shoestring, is often defiant but always sad.
Mr. Slater has been raising cattle, and since he lets them roam loose to find foraging he doesn't want the area fenced off for farms, so he does several things in an attempt to drive the Boyers away. He runs his cattle over their strawberry fields (although after this Mrs. Boyer spreads flour over the field to make the Slaters think that the Boyers have spread poison). After the Boyer land is fenced, the Slaters cut the fences to let their hogs in. They poisoned the Boyers' only mule Semina. They even set a grass fire to burn the Boyers out. Will the Slaters ever change their evil ways? And will the Boyers decide to leave or stay? Mrs. Lenski wrote several historical novels, such as Indian Captive, and a number of regional novels, including Texas Tomboy and Prairie School, about the lives of children in different parts of the country. Strawberry Girl, the 1946 Newbery Award winner, is classed as a regional.
The story is based on interviews that were conducted by the author. It is a simple but fresh and realistic look at how a pioneering family in early twentieth century Florida had to suffer through the hardships of heat, drought, cold snaps, and storms, as well as trouble with feuding neighbors. As to language, there are a few euphemisms and the term "Lordy" is used as an interjection. The dialogue contains a lot of Southern colloquialisms and dialect that may be a little hard for some children to read but gives it the flavor of authenticity. The book shows the dangers of drinking while it encourages hard work and kindness toward enemies. There is a little bit of denominational thinking, but in the end Mr. Slater is converted at a camp meeting and lives a changed life.

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School Material

As a future teacher I can see myself using this book in my classroom. It has many life lessons to learn from and it will help children see just how different life used to be, to what it is now.

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This book was ok

I don't think that everyone would like this book I was deffinetly in the middle of not liking it and loving. some people might of loved it though.I think that it was to boring and it wasn't dramatic enough.The only dramatic part was probably that they couldn't grow crops at first........

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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hey i thought this was pretty boring!

Hello everyone my mother thought this was a pretty good book. I agree with her in some ways but i thought this was pretty boring otherwise all of lois lenski's books are awesome!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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love strawberry

I read this book in 5th grade, many moons ago,I am ordering it now for my daughter.I hope she enjoys it like I did,no wands,no fairys,no dragons or guns,just a good ole story.

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strawberry girl

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski is a book about a little girl who is a strawberry picker who works very hard! Birdie Boyer was a Florida Cracker who always dreamed of getting an education and playing the organ. I really liked this book because it teaches children the concept of hard work. There are quite a few illustrations in the book that keeps the children interested. I really enjoyed the end when the family gathered around the new organ and sang a song. The dialogue in the book is very country, for example when Birdie says, ¿I purely can¿t make me a purty tune! I thought it would be so easy.¿ Birdie also had a great sense of humor, she wasn¿t afraid to say what she thought to anybody. Overall, I really enjoyed this heartwarming book. Lois Lenski won the Newberry Medal in 1946. She was also recognized for her important program of regional books for children, The American Regional Series. Throughout these different books children get to travel throughout many different states. Lenski, Lois. Strawberry Girl. Philadelphia and New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1945.

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A good book for your library

Strawberry Girl is a well written story of how family life in the backwoods used to be. It tells of one particular family's adversities with their livelihood and their trouble-making neighbors. The writing is evenly paced, allowing the reader to become attached to the characters. It's alive and fresh and interesting.

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This is a great story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a very interesting story on how this family makes a living!This is very interesting because all of the family crops could burn down and they still do this as a living!

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very exciting

This book was very exiciting a real amazing story. You should definately read this book. if you do I hope you enjoy it.

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An awsome book to read

This book was out of this world! I really enjoyed it. If you like to read spunky/fun stories, Read THIS book!

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