Strawberry Hill [Paperback]

A. LaFaye (Author)

Book Description

Raleia doesn't feel like she belongs in the modern world. And she doesn't feel like she belongs with her hippie parents, either. So when her family moves to Tidal, Maine, Raleia is excited to be in town with some history -- especially one that was demolished by a tidal wave in 1911. But her parents don't understand her preoccupation with the past, or her need to be "from" somewhere. Instead, Raleia finds herself turning to Mr. Rutherford, the sad, reclusive old man who lives on Strawberry Hill. Can he help her find a time and place of her own?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in 1974, LaFaye's (The Year of the Sawdust Man) meandering novel focuses on 12-year-old Raleia Pendel, who is preoccupied by an idyllic view of the past. Spending a summer in Tidal, Maine, a town preserved (as a tourist attraction) to look as it did when hit by a tidal wave in 1911, Raleia feels like a misfit. While she dreams about fancy dress balls, tea parties and proper etiquette, she criticizes her parents' "hippie" behavior and her brother's attraction to slimy creatures and unusual food combinations. Taunted by the neighborhood children, she takes their dare and ventures onto the property of town recluse Ian Rutherford and discovers an unlikely companion. Rebuked by Rutherford, Raleia nevertheless pursues what she believes to be a genteel elder statesman. Through their tenuous friendship, Raleia discovers that his immersion in the past is as unrealistic as her picture of the good old days, when parents spent more time worrying about their children than picketing. LaFaye's minutely detailed descriptions of the setting distract from Raleia's complex emotional drama, and readers may have difficulty understanding Rutherford's erratic behavior. They may also have trouble understanding Raleia's wholesale rejection of her culture. Still, the moving final chapters in which Raleia discovers the truth about Rutherford's situation and draws closer to her family are worth the effort to reach. Ages 8-12. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Raleia Pendle, a 12-year-old loner, wishes she'd been born about 100 years earlier when life was simpler and more refined. She loves anything old-fashioned and revels in antique shops and country stores. A summer in Tidal, ME, a town destroyed by a massive tidal wave in 1911 and now restored to its original appearance, promises an interesting time. But there's more troubling Raleia than the 20th century. Her parents are hippies who do their own thing and give her more freedom than she'd like. Maybe if they were more like other parents, she'd have some friends. The summer is also clouded by her mother's pregnancy; the family can't forget the baby girl who came too early and lived only a few days. Tidal does offer some distractions though. Mr. Rutherford, the recluse on the hill, is a mysterious phantom to the kids in town. When they drag Raleia to his house on a prank, she falls in love with its turn-of-the-century charm and is intrigued by the old man. This is a time of uncertainty and soul searching for Raleia, as well as a time of friendships and self-realization. While her fascination with the past may not be shared by all readers, her struggles with her parents and her search for independence will speak to a wide audience.
Barbara Auerbach, School Library Journal
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689829612
• ISBN-13: 978-0689829611
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,275,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars [e-mail] thinks it's GREAT!, July 22, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Strawberry Hill (Hardcover)

it will warm your heart and make you want to get to know your grandparents for little stories. read it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lesson on Strawberry Hill, July 2, 2001

By 

Mallory Pulliam (DeSoto, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strawberry Hill (Paperback)

Strawberry Hill reaches into the depths of Alex's soul. The book is an amazing calibration of heart, soul, courage and individualism. Raleia is an individual, she loves antiques and she has the coolest name. Her antique loving heart can't resist the chance when she is dared to go to the Old man up the streets home. This is a part I liked because there is nothing better then a dare to get a confident girl to do something that all the other kids don't have the guts to do. A friendship is what becomes of this small dare. But, the friendship does not come all to fast. The old man, Rutherford has lived in this house ever since his wife died. He never went into town and so he didn't know all the things that had occurred while he was being a recluse. Raleia wanted to get as much information out of Mr. Rutherford, because to her he was an antique among himself. At his home, time had completely stopped. Oh, by the way my favorite part was the end. I read the whole book on my two hour flight home. I couldn't put it down. You can't set this book down, there is always something going on it. Alex's writing is creative and soulful. Alex has other novels you should check out also!!! - Year of the Sawdust Man - (sequel) Nissa's Place - Edith Shay - Dad, in Spirit and of course Strawberry Hill.

Anyone who enjoys a great story and a plot that's new and different. Go for Alex's books.

4.0 out of 5 stars For thoughtful readers, March 2, 2011

By 

Picky Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strawberry Hill (Paperback)

A good read for connoisseurs (ages 10 and up) of sophisticated literature, especially anyone who would have liked to live during a favorite time period in the past. A subtle book to sip and savor. An invitation to contemplate different ways to see people, relationships, and how to handle them--that is, how to handle them better!