Strawberry Moon. (Orca Young Readers). Becky Citra. Victoria, BC: Orca, 2005. 90 pp., pbk., $7.95. ISBN 1-55143-367-2. Subject headings: Frontier and Pioneer life - Canada - Juvenile fiction. Grandmothers - Juvenile fiction. Grade 3-6 / Ages 8-11. Review by Elaine Fuhr. ***½ /4

excerpt:

I wasn't a little girl! I was twelve years old, and Papa always said he couldn't imagine how he could get along without me. But he hadn't said that to Grandmother. He hadn't said anything.

I lay stiffly on my side of the bed, filled with misery. I didn't care what Papa said. I would never go back to England with Grandmother. Never!

Ellie's grandmother has arrived from England, and, as Ellie greets this formidable elderly lady, she feels that she will never be able to do anything to please her. What's worse, Grandmother has plans to take her back to England to be raised as a proper young lady. Ellie has no plans to go, but it will be difficult to go against her dad who seems to have the same wish as her grandmother. But as forbidding as her grandmother seems, Ellie finds her supportive in ways that she would never suspect, and she tells Ellie about her mother. Her dad never spoke about her mother.

     Becky Citra has written an excellent story portraying the life of a young girl and her family, farming in Upper Canada. Life is difficult, but with hard work, ingenuity and love, this family has developed a home that Becky enjoys and a community that is supportive. Many scenes from the story are shown in beautifully detailed illustrations by Hanne Lore Koehler.

     Citra, an elementary school teacher as well as a writer, obviously knows children well and uses this knowledge to write an outstanding book that boys and girls will enjoy reading. This story would also be a valuable addition to a classroom study of early Canada.

Highly Recommended

Elaine Fuhr is an elementary/middle school teacher in the province of Alberta.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

NEXT REVIEW |TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - September 16, 2005.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME