Author: Lois Lensky
Title: Strawberry Girl
Illustrator: Lois Lensky
Publisher: J. B. Lippincott
Year: 1945
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Newbery
Reading Level: Independent
Interest-Level: Middle School
Topics: Farm, Neighbors, Violence, Relationships, Families, Food, Language, Florida
Summary: Strawberry Girl follows the disputes of two families: the Boyer’s and the Slater’s. The novel is set in Florida where the Boyer’s have moved to grow Strawberries and their neighbors are the Slater’s. The Slater’s have lived in Florida for all their lives and tend to their farm in a free-spirited sort of ways, which kicks the knickers of the Boyer clan. This tale is told with colloquialism, which students can explore and it also educates them on the process of farming.
Extension Activities:
*This novel is a great book to read aloud to students because of the dialogue. After you read it, you can explain to the students what colloquialism is and promote discussion on how it is different from our dialogue. Encourage students to speak up and share their thoughts.
*This book is great for a geography lesson. Have the students find Florida on a map and talk about the climate, the history, and technology. Compare and contrast to what they had in the 1940s to what we have now.
*Have the students each create their own Venn diagram comparing the two families: the Boyer’s and the Slater’s.
