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Strawberry Girl
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
26 posts | 28 read | 5 to read
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 dreamed of an education that would include playing the organ. In the end she won not only the title of "strawberry girl," but book learning as well. This is a story full of enterprise and fun and tire excitement of real life in this interesting part of America. Lois Lenski has used again her gift for catching the flavor and drama of life in a remote corner of America. It is the second of a series of regional stories through which she promises to introduce other fascinating and little-known backgrounds to boys and girls. This story will take a place beside her popular Louisiana story Bayou Suzette in the affection of readers. The eighty-four illustrations are distinguished for their action and fascinating detail. They add greatly to this true picture of Florida life at a time when old Florida ways were changing to new. Winner, 1946 Newbery Medal Notable Children's Books of 1945 (ALA)
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
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DivineDiana
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Mehso-so

Always happy when I can join #childrensclassicread2023 challenge! Perfect topic for June! While I appreciate the desire of the author to educate readers about the culture of various parts of the country, the harsh treatment of children and animals at times was disturbing, albeit indicative of the times. Women are portrayed as intelligent and compassionate. The effects of alcoholism on a family is sad. #192025 #1945

Librarybelle Great photo setup! 1y
49 likes2 comments
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tpixie
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Strawberry Girl 👧🏻 🍓

Poor Mrs. Slater. She was a strong woman making lemonade out of lemons 🍋🌟🍋
Or Chicken Pilau out of decapitated chickens 🐔!

Southern-Style Chicken and Rice: Chicken Pilau | Kitchen Dreaming
https://kitchendreaming.com/lowcountry-chicken-pilau/

#ChildrensClassicRead2023

kspenmoll Sounds delicious! 1y
51 likes2 comments
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monalyisha
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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The wild rabbits must respect the sovereign authority of our domestic Queen rabbit because they‘ve left us some berries in the patch this year! 🍓🐇🍓

bnp Yum!❤️ We always had to put netting over ours to keep the birds off. 1y
67 likes1 comment
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tpixie
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Strawberry Girl 👧🏻 🍓 was been a delightful read. I love Birdie‘s voice.
Reading about the gopher turtle 🐢 race reminds me of when my dad used to take me to on country roads so I could bring a box turtle 🐢 back home for the summer. I would build a little fence outside and feed and water him & play with it. #ChildrensClassicRead2023

julieclair Our next door neighbors kept a box turtle one summer. He loved to eat lettuce! 1y
TheBookHippie Oh how lovely!!! We kept painted turtles for the summer from my grandmas cottage. I did enjoy Birdie as well. 1y
tpixie @julieclair yes! They love lettuce 🥬😀 1y
tpixie @TheBookHippie fun!! Birdie sure is sweet! 1y
44 likes4 comments
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mrp27
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Pickpick

#ChildrensClassicRead2023

I was familiar with the author Lois Lenski but this was the first book I have read of hers. It was a delightful little gem and I really enjoyed it! Loved learning about the Florida Crackers.

TheBookHippie I loved it as well! 1y
mrp27 @TheBookHippie was a great pick to start off summer with! 1y
35 likes2 comments
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rubyslippersreads
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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I enjoyed this, and I loved Birdie, but the disregard (and cruelty) towards animals was very jarring. I also found the ending rather abrupt; I wonder how long Mr. Slater‘s change of heart will last? 😏

#ChildrensClassicRead

MemoirsForMe Agreed! Not sure Mr. Slater‘s sudden sunny disposition will last the week. 😆 1y
60 likes1 stack add1 comment
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julieclair
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Pickpick

A fascinating, well-researched glimpse into life in Florida in the early 1900s, when it was still a “frontier” area. Although fiction, this feels very factual, including the dialect. Very reminiscent of the Little House books. The book deals with some difficult issues, but feels ultimately hopeful. I would like to read more of Lenski‘s regional America series.
Great choice for #ChildrensClassicRead , @TheBookHippie !
Also my June #TBRTarot @CBee

TheBookHippie I‘m enjoying my little bits on the morning I agree it reads like nonfiction. 1y
CBee Great! Glad it was a good one 😊 1y
tpixie I‘m just starting this book written in 1945. 🍓 The forward is very interesting: How Florida is so young. How we need to learn about about people different than us. I didn‘t realize she wrote a series of regional books! 📕 🍓📕 1y
See All 7 Comments
julieclair @tpixie Isn't it weird to think of a "young" Florida? Pre-Disney! 1y
tpixie @julieclair yes!!!! 🐊 🍓 🐊 1y
TheBookHippie @tpixie me either!!! Such a fun find! 1y
tpixie @TheBookHippie 👏🏻 👏🏻 1y
38 likes7 comments
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Eggs
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🍓👌🏻📚 2y
Eggs ❤️🍓🤍 2y
dabbe Wasn't this the first Newbery Award winner? Love it! 💜 2y
See All 9 Comments
Eggs @dabbe This was the Newbery for 1946. The first winner was 2y
dabbe @Eggs 👍❣️🤗 2y
Eggs @dabbe I once decided I wanted to read every Newbery medal book since it‘s inception that I hadn‘t read. Still haven‘t finished…🤷‍♀️ 2y
dabbe @Eggs I wanted to, too! But the older ones were harder for me to grasp when I was younger; maybe we should try again! 😊 2y
Eggs @dabbe Maybe that would be a good readathon or challenge-that would be 101 books right? 2y
willaful There's some deep weirdness in the Newberys, not a rabbit hole I want to go down. 😂 1y
59 likes9 comments
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Mtroiano
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Our next #familyreadaloud pick

slategreyskies I can‘t remember the story, but I remember that cover. So cool! 🍓 3y
37 likes1 comment
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amber_ldsmom
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Pickpick

I am so behind on my reading! 😫 I‘m surprised at how much I really liked this book! It was much different from what I expected. I loved the culture and the dialect. It was pretty intense for a children‘s book, but I appreciated the attention to real-world difficulties and the positive message.
#NewberyEpicChallenge

rubyslippersreads ❤️ Lois Lenski. 🍓 4y
keys_on_fire I remember reading this in grade school! Good book! 4y
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Butterfinger
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Pickpick

I didn't think I had read this, but it all came back to me when the Slaters beat up teacher. I think it traumatized me. Some deragatory terms in a book that shows rough living in the Florida wild preDisney who drained the swamps. I enjoyed the spit and fire of Birdie, the main character.

#NewberyEpicChallenge @amber_ldsmom

amber_ldsmom I‘m liking this one so far, too! 4y
Butterfinger #BBRC @LibrarianRyan @Sarahreadstoomuch Green with Envy - Jealous neighbors 4y
Sarahreadstoomuch Isn‘t it funny how you block things like that from memory? 4y
LibrarianRyan 😁👍🏻❤️ 4y
34 likes4 comments
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Butterfinger
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I didn't know it was a Florida lullaby. #NewberyEpicChallenge @amber_ldsmom

Graywacke Mother Goose is probably offended, but.... that‘s just weird. 4y
Butterfinger @Graywacke I thought it was weird too. 4y
ElizaMarie I feel like mirror to goat is pretty big leap! Ha but anyway.. I didn't know that either! Thanks for sharing! 4y
amber_ldsmom Cool! 4y
36 likes4 comments
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amber_ldsmom
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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#NewberyEpicChallenge books for July!

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

Hope you‘ll join us this time around!

Texreader I still have Strawberry Girl from when I was a kid, and I still haven‘t read it! It must be the longest resident on my tbr list! 😊 4y
amber_ldsmom @Texreader Now‘s the time! 🙌🏻😁 4y
Texreader @amber_ldsmom If I can find where I‘ve packed it away, I‘ll definitely join in. 4y
Butterfinger How fun @Texreader 😊 4y
13 likes4 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Pickpick

Lenski's historical fiction for children are always a delight - thoroughly researched and adorably illustrated. It's amazing that this story takes place barely a hundred years ago! The ending is a bit too neat, but it IS a children's book from the 40's, so I can go with it.

My copy is getting old and battered - the pages are starting to fall out!!

15 likes1 stack add
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Eggs
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Like strawberry wine and seventeen
The hot July moon saw everything
My first taste of love oh bittersweet
Green on the vine🎶

#strawberrywine #songsofsummer @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620
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OriginalCyn620 😎🎶📚❤️ 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 💗💗💗 5y
Andrea313 Great choice on the tagged book! Love Lois Lenski! 😍 5y
Eggs Thanks all! @Andrea313 I grew up on Lois Lenski 🤗 5y
78 likes1 stack add4 comments
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GatheringBooks
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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#HeyJune Day 23: Goodreads has an actual list of books called #StrawberryFieldsForever - no joke. Here are a few of them, across genres.

Cinfhen Thanks for some suggestions 😘 6y
GypsyKat Nice! 🍓🍓🍓 6y
GatheringBooks @Cinfhen lady aims to please as always! 😘🧚🏼‍♀️😍📚 6y
GatheringBooks @GypsyKat i think i love strawberries 🍓 a little less than mangoes but almost the same. :) 😍 6y
71 likes1 stack add4 comments
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saresmoore
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Strawberry picking with Pops today!

KarenUK Soooo Lovely! 🍓This photo makes me homesick for English summers.... (edited) 7y
TrishB @KarenUK you‘ve been away too long in that you think there‘s an actual summer!!! 😁 although it‘s supposed to be very hot this weekend! (edited) 7y
KarenUK @TrishB You are so right! Definitely rose-colored glasses! It's like I've blocked out all the grey drizzle! (edited) 7y
See All 24 Comments
TrishB There‘s the usual couple of days we wait all year for 😁 7y
saresmoore @KarenUK @TrishB North Carolina has a nice range of seasons with lots of sunshine. My ginger skin would appreciate more of that English grey, though! 7y
batsy Awww! ❤️ And yes, those bluuuuue skies... 7y
Suet624 Wow. Gorgeous photo. Believe it or not the last bits of snow melted on Tuesday. The strawberry patch is just a twinkle in my eye. 7y
TrishB You probably need sun cream twice a year 😁 7y
RohitSawant Such a wonderful picture! 💙 7y
saresmoore @rohit-sawant Thank you! Today has been an absolutely perfect spring day! 7y
saresmoore @batsy Both Elliott and my dad have eyes that are almost the same color as that sky. It blows my mind. 7y
saresmoore @Suet624 Finally! Will Vermont get some good summer/fall produce? 7y
saresmoore @Cinfhen @LauraBeth @LeahBergen Didn‘t want you lovely ladies to miss a photo of my little strawberry pickers! 7y
LeahBergen Aww, this is the sweetest. Look at their happy faces! 💕💕 (and those strawberries are huge 😮). 7y
LauraBeth This is the sweetest picture ever! ❤️ Thanks for sharing! Peach season next! 7y
andrew61 Lovely photo, made me smile ☺ 7y
Suet624 @saresmoore well we had a great maple sap run. I imagine we‘ll get some strawberries in June. ❤️ 7y
saresmoore @LauraBeth Ooh, I can‘t wait for peaches! 🍑🥧 (pretend that‘s a cobbler—I make a mean Paleo version!) 7y
saresmoore @LeahBergen They aren‘t all quite so giant, but they sure are tasty! Good thing, too. We have so many now! 7y
saresmoore @andrew61 Does it make you miss when yours were smaller? I‘ve had my fair share of nostalgia moments, getting to spend time with my two-year-old nephew. The years really do speed by! 7y
andrew61 @saresmoore i know what you mean sara, my daughters are 23,18, and 16 and i miss all those lovely moments and don't think i fully appreciated it at the time - they drive me and my wife bonkers at moment but still brighten my day. Glad you are enjoying revisiting the joys of those early years ☺ 7y
Cinfhen I‘m sooo glad you thought of me 🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓and I‘m happy Pops is in the picture too!!! Lovely to see the girls 😍 7y
AlaMich That‘s a lovely picture of a lovely family! 😊 7y
saresmoore @AlaMich Thank you! ♥️ I‘m pretty partial to them, myself. 😊 7y
83 likes24 comments
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howjessicareads
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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According to #friYAYintro, there are several Littens who have NEVER had strawberry shortcake!! ?????

I think this is probably bc it's a pretty American dessert? But really, it's easy to make! Here's my fave recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/76969/perfect-berry-shortcakes/.

(Just don't fall for those gross fake spongecake circles that the grocery stores call "shortcakes". Gotta have the real deal!)

jhod Thank you very much! I will be making! 7y
AlaMich Are those like scones, or biscuits? They look like it. 7y
howjessicareads @AlaMich Sort of a cross? Flakier than a scone, but not really totally biscuitlike. 7y
See All 13 Comments
readinginthedark I like it better with cake than with biscuits! But homemade, not like the store bought ones. 7y
Jess_Read_This 😱Never ever?! You made it the best way with biscuits too! My most favorite dessert! 7y
ABrakes85 I've never tried this but I will definitely give recipe a go 💕 this 7y
VanChocStrawberry Totally agree about the real deal kind. Even ones made from bisquick are better than those sponge ones!! 7y
JacqMac Yum! I agree, no fake cakes. 7y
Sha0102 Thanks for the explanation. 😋 7y
Yeah_I_Read My friend and I used to make strawberry shortcake from the biscuits at Denny's when we worked there mmmmmm 🤤🤤 7y
TK421 I have always loved this desert. The town that I grew up in still has a huge strawberry festival every June. 7y
peaKnit I'm a pie lover, but I also ❤️ strawberry shortcake. Bisquick is good and well...quick! (edited) 7y
70 likes13 comments
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MKbookworm
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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Loved this one in grade school. Fun fact: the author, Lois Lenski, illustrated the Betsy-Tacy books. #maybookflowers #fruit

EvieBee Great choice! Lovely edition. 8y
MKbookworm @EvieBee84 thanks 🙂it is a school library edition from, I would guess, sometime in the 60s (edited) 8y
16 likes2 comments
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Texreader
Strawberry Girl | Lois Lenski
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I've kept this set of #awardwinners since I was a youngster. My fave? A Wrinkle in Time of course. #booktober

Melkyl Those look familiar. I love A Wrinkle in Time too 😊 8y
missjenniferlowe Oh, I remember that cover! ❤️ 8y
Texreader @Melwilk @missjenniferlowe It's such a great book and a very fun cover. 8y
See All 9 Comments
Coleen I also had this exact set! 8y
Texreader @Coleen That is so cool!! 8y
missjenniferlowe I've read all of Elizabeth Enright's books about the Melendy family, which were among my favorites as a kid, but never Thimble Summer! 8y
josie281 I have this edition of Wrinkle but I remember this set! 8y
CherylDeFranceschi ❤️❤️❤️ 8y
LeahBergen 💗💗 8y
81 likes9 comments