Strawberry Girl
by Lois Lenski
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski is a dear, charming little book! I’ve never read it, only listened to it on Audible. The version narrated by Natalie Ross is phenomenal! The book follows a girl named "Berthenia Lou Boyer” whose nickname is Birdie. The Boyers move to the Florida backwoods, and trouble seems to be waiting to meet them as soon as they arrive! After an uncomfortable and unfriendly visit from their new neighbors the Slaters, things begin to boil over, especially when the Boyers plant their main crop: Strawberries. When then Slaters’ hogs get into their crops, that can only mean one thing: Trouble. The hogs get sent home by the Boyers, one with fewer ears than before, as a warning. The Slaters are pitted against the Boyers already, mainly because they think they’re ‘biggety,’ so how can they resist the urge to make their lives difficult? They can’t. Fences go up, and neighborly love goes down, and the Slaters’ livestock keeps getting into the Boyers’ crops.The Boyers make many neighborly attempts at kindness, and mostly, are returned by the unfortunate and unkind acts of the Slaters. And so the back and forth revenge continues, until things little by little get revealed about the Slaters, that make how they act a little less strange. Can the Boyers ever live peaceably? And will they ever become friends with the Slaters?
My Favorite Character: “It would have to be Birdie! She’s sweet and stubborn, and tries to be a friend to the Slater children.” —Millie J.
Parental Guidance: This book takes place in the Florida backwoods, where drama between neighbors was not uncommon, and so as a result, some of the scenes are a bit harsh. Near the beginning of the book, there is a scene that takes place at school. Gus and Joe Slater “whop” the teacher, (They get in a physical fight.) no gory details are shared, only that there won’t be school for a while since the teacher needs to recover his strength. And later in the book is an intense scene in which children are threatened by a grassfire. Sam Slater (The father of the Slater children.) drinks heavily, and so the misuse of alcohol plays a significant role in the story, not supporting it, but explaining one of the reasons why the Slaters treat others the way they do. However it is indeed worth noting that the ending offers a strong message of redemption and hope. If you are at all concerned by these topics that appear in this book, but still want something similar to read, then give the book The Happy Little Family a try— I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!