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Josefina's Story Collection by Valarie Tripp

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Summary: Josefina is a 9 year old girl living on a Rancho in New Mexico in 1824. She, her three older sisters, and her father are learning how to cope after the death of their mother a year before the first story begins. Josefina has many adventures on the farm and with her family that help her grow into a responsible, nurturing young girl. 

Attention Span/reading level: 8-12, small chapter books (But my 3 year old listens to the stories in the car and enjoys them) 

Good uses for book in teaching: About different cultures/religious celebrations

Favorite part: 
     Mine: All the Religious ceremonies and celebrations, that Josefina is honest and hard working. 
     Child: The baby goat, Sombrita 

Least favorite part: None

Warnings/negative feedback: Josefina and her sister run into town alone and get stopped by a man who is drunk, but they run away before anything happens. 

Review: This has been my favorite of all the American Girl stories we have read so far. Some of the things that I really enjoyed were that it frequently mentioned the family gathering for family prayer at the family alter in the morning, the details of the celebration of Los Posadas (Christmas celebration), and many many instances of the family working together in harmony. Josefina and her sisters are working through the grief over the death of their mother a year before the first story begins. They author doesn't shy away from talking about how hard this is for them and some of the steps that help in the healing process. I also like at Christmas that the only gift that is mentioned whatsoever is the family tradition of passing down a doll made by their mother when the next youngest child turns 10. Each of the girls work hard on the Rancho and are always respectful of their elders.   

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