Hoberman, Mary Ann. 2009. Strawberry Hill. Little, Brown. 230 pages.
You would have thought it was the best news in the world.
If I had to pick one word to describe Mary Ann Hoberman's Strawberry Hill, it would be lovely. I could choose charming or delightful. Or perhaps old-fashioned and cozy. Or if I wanted to be truly original, I could say it was happy-making.
Strawberry Hill is historical fiction--set fuzzily in the 1930s. It's the Depression: that much is clear from the beginning. Our heroine is a young girl named Alice (hint: call her Allie if you want her to answer!) When the book opens, she is learning that her family is to move from New Haven to Stamford. They'll be moving to a house on a street called Strawberry Hill. And the name alone sells her on the idea. But moving isn't all she hopes it to be (even though her parents surprise her with a pink bedroom). For, alas, there are no strawberries on Strawberry Hill. What there are instead are a couple of neighborhood kids: Martha and Mimi. Which girl will be her best friend?
This is an enjoyable novel exploring friendship between two young girls.
Strawberry Hill is a pleasant book with a satisfying just-right feel. At least for me. Allie is a fun character. Allie's pastimes include hopscotch, paper dolls, tea parties, and jump rope. And it was fun for me to read about her school days. (She's in the fourth grade.) I loved the fact that Allie loved to read--the book talks about Heidi and Mary Poppins specifically. (And I was happy to see the role reading had in the story.) Overall, I just really liked this one.
Other reviews: Kids Lit, The Curious Reader, Thoughts From An Evil Overlord, A Patchwork of Books.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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