An amazing read. I hung on to every word in this book. Strawberry Hill tells the story of a little girl who finds the true meaning of a friendship. She is uprooted from her hometown to a new town and school. She is then forced to form neew friendships, but realizes friendships are much more than who's popular and whos not. Her next door neighbor seems very friendly and nice , but shows her true colors through out the book. Allie, the main character, also is faced with her first lesson on the prejudices against certain religions, especially hers. At the end she comes full circle in picking the right for her and not falling to the peer pressure of another. I absolutely loved Mary Ann Hoberman's way of informing the reader of things he or she may not know. She also w very sensitive to her audience. Lovely book! ( )

This book is about a young Jewish girl who is forced to move from her home to another home on a street name Strawberry Hill. She ends up making friends in this new are after some time. She goes to a Jewish school and makes friends with girl with the same name she has. ( )

This story is written in the tradition of friend and school stories of an earlier era. Set in the Depression, ten-year-old Allie's family has just moved into a new house, thanks to her father finally getting a job. She starts to make friends with Martha next door, but soon discovers she isn't the perfect best friend. At first confused and embarrassed by Mimi across the street, Allie finally comes to realize she is more "interesting" and trustworthy than Martha. Small touches throughout the book place it in the Depression era - a hobo at the door, Shirley Temple, tap-dance class, and the various financial difficulties of Allie's friends' families. There is also a minor theme of religious difference and prejudice - Allie and Mimi are Jewish, Allie. M. (Allie's new friend at school), Martha and her unpleasant friend Cynthia are Catholic. But there's no stereotyping and the characters are not one-dimensional types.

The story is pleasant and flows well, showing Ms. Hoberman's mastery of words. Allie's thoughts and feelings are well-expressed and the story is a pleasant, light read. The ending is not completely resolved but the depiction of Depression-era problems and issues is realistic and not excessively preachy.

However, I am having a hard time coming up with an audience for this book. It is being promoted to ages 8 - 12, but I find it difficult to think of any tweens who would pick this up. Compared to her modern sisters, such as Judy Moody and Allie Finkle, Allie Sherman is bland and sedate. Just as Gardam rewrote the holiday family adventure genre of Elizabeth Enright, Ms. Hoberman has rewritten the school and friendship genre of the Moffats and other similar stories from the time period. Fans of Lenski's Strawberry Girl, Fisher's Understood Betsy, and Estes' Moffats and Hundred Dresses may find this an additional and enjoyable read, but it doesn't have the staying qualities of a classic.

Verdict: Families looking for a peaceful read-aloud at bedtime may enjoy this.

ISBN: 031604136X; Published July 2009 by Little Brown; ARC provided by publisher for review (illustrations not available for review)

When I started reading this book I almost put it down because its simple style at first seemed flat. But it grew on me and I found that it had a lot packed into it. Allie's family moves to a new house and town during the depression when her father gets a new job. She immediately meets a few neighbor girls and begins the complicated process of figuring out who she likes best, who she wants as a best friend, who wants her as a best friend, who is really nice, and more. All of the characters, even the adults, are nuanced. Because Allie is the narrator, the reader gets a straightforward view of her world without any adult explanation or spin. I think young girls navigating friendships will find this book helpful and enjoyable. ( )

Allie’s father had to find a new job when the depression hit. His family lives in New Haven and he works in Stamford. It is difficult not seeing them for a whole week. When things look up he finds a house for them. Allie doesn’t want to move and leave her best friend Ruthie behind. When her father tells her their new address is Strawberry Hill she changes her mind. She wants everything in her room painted pink. When she arrives it isn’t what she imagined. She can’t find the strawberries. She makes two new friends, Martha and Mimi. Mimi and Allie are both Jewish. When Martha’s friend from the Catholic school calls her a dirty Jew, she finds out first hand what prejudice is. She learns what true friendship is and teaches Martha not to judge based on what others say.
I looked at the cover and thought this would be a cutsie little read. Boy did it exceed my expectations. The messages about friendship and the faces of prejudice permeated the whole book. It was not a slap you in the face deal. The main character is a fourth grader but I believe my middle school students would love this. The historical information was very accurate. I would definitely recommend this book to my students ( )