Loved this when I read it as a kid. Ready to revisit it.

This is a fascinating story, set among the "Crackers" (the first English-speaking settlers in Florida, who moved down particularly from the Carolinas) around 1900. Amazing to think how different family life, and children's lives, were when this was a mainly agrarian economy. I think I had a hard time reading all the dialect when I read this as a kid - it was a little too complex for me - but you can tell she was interested in capturing the actual speech patterns of that population.

All in all, it's even an interesting read, and well made story, for adults.

There's an interesting discussion of Lenski's work on wikipedia. While there are valid criticisms that can be made, her books are still excellent introductions to America's varied cultures for children, it seems to me. Her pedagogical and ethical approach can be taken into account by kids, but nothing influences them as strongly as their own families and lives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Lenski

Given to a friend who was looking for something new to read.