Changes for Josefina

Published in 1998; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles and Susan McAliley

Plot

Another Christmas season is wrapping up. Josefina and her sisters prepare for a large community dance on the last day, January sixth, the feast of the Epiphany. The next day, they reflect on how the work is hard, but very worth it, and Tia Dolores has taught them how to enjoy doing things for their family and friends and to do them efficiently. In fact, they've learned so much from Tia Dolores that she announces it's time for her to leave and stay with her parents. The girls don't need her anymore (although they try making a lot of mistakes to prove her wrong, but she doesn't fall for it), and their father should find another woman to love as he loved their mother. She'd just be in the way. Josefina and her sisters think their father has found another woman to love: Tia Dolores. And they're pretty sure she loves him too, but that neither realizes it. (In Josefina's time and culture, marrying a late sibling's widow or widower wasn't uncommon; it was practical: the families knew each other and it kept property divisions simple.)

The girls want to help their father and Tia Dolores see the light, but they don't know how to. It wouldn't be proper for them to discuss it outright, especially if their suspicions about the adults' feelings for each other are wrong. But their grandparents will be visiting soon--to take Tia Dolores home with them--and Tia Magdalena will surely come to see her brother's in-laws too. Maybe she can help. Josefina is anxious to ask her godmother about the situation, but when she hears her grandfather plans to join the American trader Patrick O'Toole on a journey to Missouri and he's counting on Tia Dolores to care for Josefina's grandmother, she gives up hope. It would be selfish to expect Tia Dolores to abandon her parents. Tia Magdalena is still able to pry the truth out of Josefina, but agrees that it's not the sort of thing any curandera can heal with her medicines. She instead gives Josefina a heart-shaped religious medal and encourages Josefina to pray, and tells her she will pray too.

The next day Josefina finds herself inspired: what if Ana and her family move to Santa Fe? Ana agrees that it would be a good way for her family to set out its own a bit, and her husband could help while their grandfather's away. It would also give her sons the opportunity for a good education from the priests in Santa Fe. Furthermore, Tia Dolores could then stay on the rancho. The sisters present their idea to their father, who discusses it with their grandparents and Tia Dolores. It goes half well: they all agree that Ana and her father should move to Santa Fe, but Tia Dolores still wants to leave! Discouraged, Josefina throws the heart-shaped medal out in the sleet.

Her father finds it the next day, and Josefina explains that she threw it away because of her sadness. He correctly guesses what she and her sisters hoped would happen, but says that while he does indeed love Tia Dolores, she doesn't love him back. Josefina boldly corrects him, but he doesn't seem convinced. She refuses his attempt to return the heart, and leaves, her own heart still heavy. Later that day, she sorrowfully accompanies her grandparents to Tia Magdalena's, to fetch Tia Dolores so they can bring her back to Santa Fe.

Once there, her grandfather produces a letter for Tia Dolores. As she opens it, the heart falls out. Josefina is suddenly elated: her father must have written a letter proposing marriage! Tia Dolores seems shocked, but calmly tells her parents that Josefina's father has asked to marry her, and that they can tell him she accepts. Josefina could hardly be happier!

Looking Back

The historical section is about how the Southwest came to be part of the United States. As trade opened up with what was then northern Mexico, American influence seeped into the culture. The new country was also conflicted within itself over whether to be one large nation or several smaller ones. Texas was a particular sore spot, claimed by Mexico, the United States, and also itself as its own independent nation. Dispute over where the United States ended and Texas or Mexico began grew into a larger scale war that saw the United States laying claim to what would become parts of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and California (at one point the US offered to pay for the land but Mexico refused, further increasing hostilities). Even after claiming the Southwest as its own territory in 1848 and granting all the non-Native American residents citizenship, New Mexico wasn't granted statehood. Because of its Spanish and Native American influences, New Mexico and Arizona were viewed as too foreign to be states (by contrast, California gained statehood in 1850, Nevada in 1864, Colorado in 1876, and Utah in 1896). It wasn't until 1912 that they were formally inducted as the forty-seventh and forty-eighth states. Alaska and Hawaii followed in 1959.

Misc

This book is dedicated to "Rosalinda Barrera, Juan Garcia, Sandra Jaramillo, Skip Keith Miller, Felipe Mirabel, Tey Diano Rebolledo, Orlando Romera, and Marc Simmons, with thanks."

Today, the US has fourteen territories: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island (uninhabited), Jarvis Island (uninhabited), Johnston Atoll (uninhabited), Kingman Reef (uninhabited), Midway Islands (no permanent residents), Navassa Island (uninhabited), Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll (uninhabited), Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and the Wake Islands. About four million US citizens live in these territories.

Josefina Saves the Day

Published in 1998; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles and Susan McAliley

Plot

While exploring the hills above her grandparents' rancho, Josefina happens upon a stranger, Patrick O'Toole, a trader from Missouri. She's shy, but when he asks for her grandfather, she leads him to the home and introduces him. The man has lunch with her family, and then discusses business, interested in the mules Josefina's father has brought to Santa Fe to trade. Josefina is pleased to have helped the trading, but her grandmother worries about whether the man can be trusted. Josefina thinks to herself that he seems friendly enough, and hopes nothing bad will come of her meeting him.

The next day, the wagon train that Patrick was scouting for arrives in Santa Fe. The streets are bustling with excitement as people browse the marketplace. Tia Dolores announces to Josefina, Clara, and Francisca that they may each pick one of the blankets they helped weave and trade it for anything they want (Ana is home with her family; Tia Dolores will trade her blanket for boots for Juan and Antonio). Josefina spies a toy farm that she likes, but Clara insists it's not practical enough. Her father suggests she look a little more, but if after that she still wants it the next day, there's no reason she can't pick the toy. He also tells her that he's decided to trade the mules with Patrick, who can get him actual money for the animals, which will make it easier for him to get the sheep the family still needs (the previous ninety isn't enough).

That evening, Patrick joins Josefina's family for dinner. He gives Josefina a piece of sheet music with a song written in English. She mentions that her father used to play violin like Patrick, but that he gave his instrument away when Josefina's mother died. After the meal is over, everyone socializes, sharing stories and playing music. Suddenly Patrick offers his violin to Josefina's father, saying it's his turn to play. To Josefina's surprise, her father accepts. She gives him the sheet music Patrick gave her, and he plays while Patrick sings the song. Watching her father enjoy something he used to, Josefina decides she doesn't want the toy anymore. She wants to trade her blanket for Patrick's violin. But she'll need to get her sisters on board with the idea; the violin is easily worth three blankets. Francisca is easy to convince, but Clara takes some cajoling. Patrick also agrees, and takes the blankets happily, arranging to meet the girls later with the violin. (Really, Clara? You wouldn't insist he bring the violin first?) But when the girls go to meet him, he doesn't show. Josefina asks around, and learns that he's left to continue scouting for the wagon train. She and her sisters are heartbroken: if he's cheated them, surely he's also cheated their father.

The girls tell their father what happened, and he sadly decides they were foolish to trust Patrick. He'll have to go to town in the morning to get his mules back, which will ruin Patrick's reputation, but if he's a cheat then he deserves that. But in the night, Josefina sees a piece of paper weighted down with a chunk of turquoise she knows Patrick had. It's a drawing from him, instructing Josefina to meet him at the church he got it from. Maybe he's not dishonest after all. She hurries to the church with Francisca (Clara insists that it's too dangerous with all the rowdy traders who are probably drunk, but agrees not to tell on them). Dodging some shady characters, Josefina and Francisca make it to the church, and find the violin in the bell tower. With it are the mirror Francisca had considering trading for, the knitting needles Clara wanted, and the toy farm Josefina saw (Patrick had been at the marketplace with them). They hurry back to their grandparents' just as their father is getting ready to reclaim his mules. When he sees the items, he dismounts from his horse, now trusting that Patrick will send the rest of the money he's owed. He also scolds the girls for going out on such a dangerous errand, but is happy that he hasn't been swindled. He's also very touched that they got the violin for him.

That night, Josefina hears her father playing the violin. She see Tia Dolores watching and listening too.

Looking Back

In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain. This allowed new opportunities for trade with the United States and Canada. Since farmland in the desert needed constant care, it was rare for people travel except to trade, and the new business meant the trips were especially worthwhile. Since people might only travel once or twice a year, they took advantage of the rare treat, being careful to accomplish all the necessary business and trying to squeeze in visits with family or friends as well.

Misc

This book is dedicated to "Kathy Borkoski, Val Hodgson, Peg Ross, Jane Varda, and Judy Woodburn, with thanks."

Josefina's mother said that the sky is such a beautiful blue because it's the bottom of Heaven. I like that sentiment.

I don't get it. If Patrick could leave the things in the church and leave a note for Josefina at the rancho, why couldn't he just give the items to her at her grandparents' rancho?

Josefina's Song

Short story collection published in 2006; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles, Renee Graef, Susan McAliley, and Phillip Hood

Plot

Josefina and her father are about to embark on a trip to the area where the family's flock of sheep grazes in the hot summer. Josefina's father has heard that the shepherd, Santiago, is ill, and wants to check on him. Josefina's sisters Francisca and Clara are nervous, because they want to go to Santa Fe with their father when travels to do some trading, and how well Josefina does on the trip will determine whether they can go. They urge her to stay quiet and obedient.

At first following her sisters' request is easy. The trip is so exciting that Josefina is focused on taking everything in. When they reach the summer grazing area, they see that Santiago is no longer ill, but that his illness has left him blind. His grandson, Angelito, has been watching the sheep. Josefina goes to talk to Angelito while her father talks to Santiago. Angelito assures Josefina with his words and actions that the pair can still be charge of the sheep. Angelito keeps a keen eye on the sheep and the dogs obey him, while Santiago prepares food, keeps house, and tends to sick sheep. They're quite happy with their life, and worried that they'll be forced to quit because of Santiago's blindness. But Josefina's father doesn't think someone as young as Angelito and a blind man can effectively watch the sheep, and tells them they can come live on the rancho but that he will hire a new shepherd. Knowing how much tending the flock means to Santiago and Angelito, Josefina can't hold her tongue, and implores her father to reconsider, even though she knows he'll be angry at her for not keeping her place. Sure enough, he's embarrassed at her outburst and orders to go stay by the horses while he finishes his conversation with Santiago. He soon joins her, and they ride off in awkward silence.

On the way home, a sudden storm spooks the horses, and Josefina's father is thrown from his. His leg is badly injured. Josefina gets him on her horse (his runs off home) and they return to Santiago and Angelito's camp. There, Santiago can tell by touch that the leg is only badly sprained, not broken, although it's still causing quite a bit of pain. To help Josefina's father sleep, Santiago plays his flute while Josefina sings every song she knows and even makes some up. By morning, Josefina's father has seen first-hand that Santiago and Angelito can easily care for the sheep, and agrees to let them stay on. They happily accept his offer. As Josefina and her father head home--under clear skies--he commends her on her bravery and thanks her for staying up all night singing to him. He particularly liked the song she made up about their adventure in the mountains...maybe she'll sing it to her sisters on the way to Santa Fe.

Looking Back

Sheep were vitally important to settlers in the Southwest. They provided milk, meat, and wool that could be made into clothing, towels, and bedding (although wool's not so great for towels; cotton's better). The head of a rancho would often have a flock of sheep numbering in the hundreds. Because he would have other duties to attend to, he would hire shepherds. The shepherds moved the sheep to fresh grazing areas, up to the cooler mountains in the heat of the summer, shear them in the spring when their fleeces were thick, train herding dogs, watch for predators, and keep sheep safe from thieves.

Misc

Shepherds in Josefina's time used slingshots to protect the sheep.

Herding dogs slept on sheepskins, which seems a little strange but also very practical.

Happy Birthday, Josefina!

Published in 1998; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles and Susan McAliley

Plot

Spring has arrived, and with it, new life. The flowers Josefina's mother planted that the goat got into are sprouting again, and that mean old goat herself is pregnant. When the baby comes, it's a difficult delivery, and the goat dies. Despite her animosity toward the goat, Josefina is tender with her in her last moments--she never wanted the animal to suffer, just to behave. The new kid is weak, too weak to suckle from any other nanny goats. Josefina asks her father if she can care for the kid. At first he's reluctant. The kid doesn't have a good chance of surviving, no matter how much care Josefina gives it, and he doesn't want Josefina to grow to love the animal just to lose it, the way she loved her mother and lost her. But Tia Dolores is able to convince him that it would be good for Josefina to try, and Josefina tells her father they should care for all creatures. It's hard work, but Josefina is able to get the kid to drink milk expressed from other goats, and it grows strong. Soon it's following her around like a shadow, and her sisters name the little goat Sombrita, or "little shadow" (the "a" ending meaning it's a female goat).

Josefina does such a good job with Sombrita that Tia Magdalena, her godmother and paternal aunt, is impressed. Since she's the curandera (healer), her praise is very meaningful. Tia Magdalena is also impressed that Josefina can readily find healing plants. She invites Josefina over to her house to help her with some spring cleaning, and notes that Josefina can identify most of the plants in her stores, and knows some of the uses for them. Josefina ponders this, and her desire to help people, and the fact that her mother chose Tia Magdalena as her godmother. Perhaps she can study under her godmother and learn to be a curandera too. Her godmother says that one doesn't become a curandera but rather is one, and says time will tell if Josefina has the gift for it. Satisfied for now, Josefina sets about dusting the jars of plants. She carefully cleans a blue and white apothecary jar that's been handed down from curandera to curandera...and drops it, shattering it. Ashamed and afraid, she runs without telling Tia Magdalena. Of course, she soon discovers the shards and figures out what happened when Josefina's father comes to walk Josefina home. Tia Dolores talks with Josefina and tells her she needs to be courageous, to ask for forgiveness and not give up on her dream of being a curandera. When she apologizes to Tia Madalena, her godmother agrees that Josefina may yet be a curandera, even if the jar is beyond repair.

While Josefina still feels guilty about breaking the jar, she knows that Tia Magdalena understands it was a mistake. Besides, she doesn't have much time to worry: she's going with her father to visit his friend Esteban, a Pueblo man, to trade sixty blankets Josefina and her family wove. It's enough for ninety sheep! Josefina will get to play with Esteban's granddaughter, Mariana. Josefina is excited to show Mariana her doll Niña and Sombrita. After the men have a leisurely lunch and discuss the trade, the girls run off to play with their dolls and the goat. But a rattlesnake ruins the day. It threatens to attack Sombrita, and when Mariana throws a rock at it to kill it, the snake strikes out and bites her. Josefina throws another rock, also not killing the snake but at least driving it away. Mariana's arm is already swelling, and the venom is making her too weak to get back to her home. Josefina remembers something her godmother gave her from her medicine stores: a root she can crush to draw out the venom. Grabbing some more rocks and using her spit, she makes a paste to press into Mariana's wound. At first it doesn't seem to be working, but finally her friend can breathe easier and some of her strength returns. Together, the girls and the goat walk slowly back to Mariana's, where their fathers meet them, and Mariana tells them how Josefina saved her life. When Josefina and her father return home, she sleeps very soundly.

The next morning she's awakened by her family singing a song to celebrate her birthday. They have a small celebration with delicious foods. Mariana is well enough to come visit, with one of the last melons from the previous year's harvest. Josefina's father gives the dried out rattle of a snake that he killed after it bit him (and Tia Magdalena applied the same paste Josefina made), saying he kept it to remind him of something he was proud of (killing the snake and defending the sheep he was watching) so now he's giving to Josefina, because he's proud of how she saved her friend. Tia Magdalena, like everyone else, is impressed with the story. To Josefina's delight, her godmother tells her the event must mean she's a curandera.

Looking Back

Babies born in Josefina's time and culture were often named for religious figures like saints. Josefina was named for St. Joseph, as she was born on his feast day (March 19). She would have been formally named at her baptism, performed when she was a newborn. As is the case today, she would get godparents at her baptism, people selected by her parents to help guide her spiritual growth. Children named for saints sometimes celebrated on the feast days of their saints instead of on their birthdays, and would pass out small gifts like homemade candies or treats to others. When Josefina was about twelve or thirteen, she would receive her first Holy Communion (usually done today around the age of eight or nine in the Catholic church) and also the sacrament of Confirmation (varies today, usually either done with First Communion or around age seventeen) and be considered an adult. By fifteen, she could marry. Women who didn't marry most often stayed with family, as Tia Dolores did, first living with her aunt then with her sister's family.

Misc

This book is dedicated to "Peggy Jackson, with thanks."

Josefina's birthday, March 19, is the day that I found out I was pregnant with my first child (in 2010). I thought it was especially fitting that I discovered it on the feast day of St. Joseph, the patron saint of families: it was the day we stopped being a couple and became a family.

My dad rescued a stray puppy shortly after he and my mom married. He found her shivering in the rain under a street light and brought her back to the house she was in front of. A little bit later, the young boy he'd handed the puppy to was at my parents' house, explaining that he'd brought the puppy home after getting it from in front of a grocery store but his dad wouldn't let him keep it. When Mom went to the door to see who it was, she saw Dad holding something as he closed the door and turned around. He showed her the puppy and said, "Well, I guess we have a dog." I think she always knew that my dad saved her, because she followed him everywhere, like Josefina's goat. And because of that and because she was black, Dad named her Shadow.

Like Addy's books, Josefina's main six were published in two different years.

At the end of the book, Josefina talks with her father about second chances--how he survived the rattlesnake bite years ago, how her mother's flowers grew back, how Sombrita has thrived, how Josefina can still learn from Tia Magdalena despite breaking the jar--and that Tia Dolores taught her it's important to take advantage of second chances. He seems to take that to heart, especially interested that Tia Dolores was the one who said it. It's some foreshadowing for Changes for Josefina.

Josefina's Surprise

Published in 1997; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles and Susan McAliley

Plot

It's the second Christmas since Josefina's mother died. Last year, Christmas came so soon after her death that no one felt like celebrating. She wonders if this year will be the same, but Tia Dolores reassures her that it's okay to be happy. Her mother would want Josefina and her family to enjoy Christmas. Josefina's sisters remind her about Niña, the doll that was given to each sister the Christmas she was eight, dressed in a new gown sewn by their mother. Because they were in mourning, Josefina never got the doll, even with an old dress. Francisca excitedly reminds Clara that Josefina can have Niña this year, but Clara is evasive when asked where the doll is. Has she lost it? Josefina, wanting to share in the tradition that her sisters shared with her mother, hopes not.

The whole village is getting ready for Christmas. Parts are being assigned for Las Posadas, the annual Christmas play. Tia Dolores suggests that Josefina might want to play the part of Mary, but Josefina says she's not ready yet: the songs she would have to sing remind her of her mother, and she doesn't want to cry in front of everyone. As the preparations for Christmas ramp up, Josefina finds herself surrounded by people fondly remembering her mother: the special gifts she would give their families, the talent she had for decorating the church, her sweet and generous nature, the beautiful altar cloth she embroidered for Christmas mass. It's comforting for Josefina to know that her mother still has an impact in people's lives. She's looking forward to getting the altar cloth ready, and so are her sisters, especially Clara who's been missing their mother terribly the more she sees Christmas being done differently without her there.

But when the family opens the trunk holding the altar cloth, they find that the flood damaged the trunk enough to let in water and mice. The cloth is dirty, stained, mildewed, and chewed. Josefina's father can't even bear to stay in the same room and has to leave to compose himself. The girls and Tia Dolores are all in shock, but Tia Dolores is sure they can make it beautiful again. She declares that tomorrow they will wash the cloth, mend it, add some new material, and embroider more designs on it, making it once more beautiful in memory of Josefina's mother. Later that night, Josefina sees Clara slip something out of the trunk: Niña! Clara buries her face in the doll and sobs. Confused, Josefina tells Tia Dolores about what she saw. Wisely, Tia Dolores tells Josefina that just as Josefina is not yet ready to play Mary because of how much she misses her mother, so Clara is not yet ready to give up Niña. The time will come; Josefina must be patient and let her sister take comfort where she can find it.

Morning comes, and Tia Dolores, Ana, Francisca, Clara, and Josefina set to work on the cloth. They decide to embroider things their mother loved. Josefina gets her memory box to inspire them, and they start stitching out things like a sparrow, a sprig of lavender, and a primrose. At first Clara declines, saying it makes her miss her mother too much (the girls learned the special style of colcha embroidery from their mother). Tia Dolores presents a silver thimble, a gift from their mother to her, and says she'll be happy to share it with her nieces so they can all remember their mother together. As the sisters slowly stitch, Clara--who is best at colcha embroidery--offers tips and advice, and eventually does some stitching herself. Francisca decides that whoever uses the thimble should share a memory of their mother, and the five pass the day fixing the cloth and telling stories. Some are happy and some are sad. All are good to hear. By the time the cloth is repaired, Josefina decides she's excited to celebrate Christmas joyfully, regardless of whether she gets to have Niña yet.

The family enjoys the Las Posadas processions over the next few nights. On Christmas Eve, the cloth is finally ready to decorate the altar at church. Tia Dolores praises their work, singling out Clara's exquisite embroidery, telling her that the talent is a gift from her mother that she'll have with her the rest of her life. At the urging of Tia Dolores, Clara gives the silver thimble to Josefina, telling her to put in her memory box where they can always get to if they need it--for embroidery or remembrance. The sisters go together to their room, and Josefina sees Niña on her bed, in a new dress! Clara has decided that she's ready to let Josefina have the doll and sewn her a new dress, knowing that she has many places to find comfort. Josefina graciously tells Clara that they will share the doll, and they head out for the last night of Las Posadas.

But the girl who's been playing Mary is ill! Bravely, Josefina asks if she can take her place and pray for everyone to have a happy Christmas--those in the village and her mother in Heaven. The man in charge agrees, and Josefina's father is proud to play Joseph for his daughter (traditionally Joseph was played by the father of the girl playing Mary). With the strength of her family backing her up, Josefina overcomes her nerves and makes it through the play, ending at the church where the cloth is beautifully draped over the altar. Seeing her work mixed in with that of her mother, her sisters, and her aunt, and with her father beside her, Josefina is sure her prayer was answered.

Looking Back

Josefina and her neighbors would have looked forward to Christmas with excitement, anticipating the celebration that would last for more than a month. It was full of religious observances, familiar customs, and fun, just as it is for Christians today. The celebration began with Advent (four Sundays before Easter) and continued through Epiphany (January 6). Las Posadas was especially important in Josefina's culture, and is still performed in present-day Hispanic communities. It's a dramatic reenactment of the first Christmas, with people playing Mary and Joseph going from house to house looking for a place to stay and being turned away, as the couple was turned away from inn after inn in the Gospel. At the last house, everyone is welcomed in for a party. One the last day of Las Posadas, everyone comes into the church for the Christmas Eve midnight mass. Traditionally, the actors portraying Mary and Joseph pray for a special intention as they perform Las Posadas, which is itself considered a form of prayer.

Misc

This book is dedicated to "Granger William Tripp and Paige Elizabeth Tripp, with love."

I wonder if Ana's son Antonio was born shortly before or shortly after Ana's mother died.

A woman in the village, Tia Magdalena, is Josefina's godmother.

I have two uncle Josephs and three aunt Marys, and two are married to each other--Mary and Joseph! But their son isn't named Jesus.

A Reward for Josefina

Short story collection published in 2006; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles, Renee Graef, Susan McAliley, and Phillip Hood

Plot

While Josefina is grateful that her aunt is staying with the Montoyas to help, she can't help but feel jealous of the close connections her older sisters seem to have with Tia Dolores. Ana has gained her respect because of how she ran the Montoya household after their mother died, and as adult with a family has a different sort of relationship that a child does to another adult anyway. Francisca always makes Tia Dolores laugh with her quick wit. Clara's dedication and skill to weaving impresses Tia Dolores constantly. Josefina wants to do something to show herself worthy of her aunt's admiration as well. She is hopeful that her chance will come when the family goes to harvest pine nuts (her father offers a reward to whoever collects the most), but she's left at the campsite to watch one-year-old Antonio and three-year-old Juan with two servants. Soon though, Antonio wakes from his nap and one servant takes him to his mother while the other takes the horses to a stream for water.

Josefina and Juan quickly get bored watched their lunch cook. Juan grabs a bag and starts collecting the few stray pine nuts from the ground. He wants the reward. Josefina doesn't have the heart to tell him that it's hopeless. She shakes the trees around the campsite to help him get a few more handfuls, but his bag is still mostly empty. Josefina then climbs some of the trees, jumping on the branches to knock down more ripe nuts than her nine-year-old arms can shake loose. While she's in a tree, she and Juan spy a squirrel skulking about their campsite. They hurry to scare it off, but not before it brazenly eats a bit of their food. While they're chasing it, the pair find its horde of food in a hollow tree: hundreds of pine nuts! Josefina climbs the tree and tosses down handful after handful of nuts. Juan's bag is full to bursting! When the rest of their family returns for lunch, their sacks are heavy with nuts, but Juan's is overflowing. Josefina tells the family how she and Juan were able to get so many while still minding the camp, and Tia Dolores praises her for being so clever. That in itself is a tremendous reward for her...which is good because the squirrel made off with the candy that her father brought as the prize!

Looking Back

This time the historical section is about the some seasonal chores. In the spring, families would clean their shared irrigation systems and re-plaster their adobe houses. Once the reservoirs were full, families could plant crops. In the autumn, they would harvest and hunt and preserve food for the winter, when they needed to have enough to keep themselves and their livestock fed.

Misc

Antonio still nurses from time to time. Good for Ana. It's wonderful if a mother is able keep up breastfeeding for at least a year. According to a pamphlet I just got from the pediatrician, if a baby still nurses at a year old, around four times a day (in addition to solid food) is recommended.

Good pine nut harvests came about every few years, not predictably every year, at least in Josefina's time.

Thanks to Josefina

Short story collection published in 2006; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles, Renee Graef, Susan McAliley, and Phillip Hood

Plot

The Montoya sisters are hard at work making blankets. They know they must work diligently every day to get the blankets made by summer (when they'll be able to trade them), but they're getting tired of the labor. They chat while they work, and Francisca and Clara poke fun at Josefina's eagerness to please Tia Dolores. They only mean to gently rib her, but Josefina's feelings are hurt. Things get worse as the sisters get more stressed by their work: Ana can't help because Antonio is ill, Clara almost gleefully points out a mistake in Josefina's blanket that means she'll have to undo two days' worth of weaving, Francisca takes some of Josefina's red wool and Josefina snaps at her prompting a fight...Soon the three sisters are sniping at each other, and Josefina storms off in tears.

Teresita, Tia Dolores's servant, finds Josefina in the courtyard and politely doesn't say anything about the tears. Instead, she asks Josefina for help finding plants to use for dye. Josefina has a knack for finding the plants, and as she and Teresita talk about how the variety of plants that are all necessary, Josefina forms an idea. What if she and her sisters set up a sort of assembly line, with each doing a part of the blanket-making process they like instead of one they hate?

The sisters are thrilled with Josefina's idea. Now that they're each doing what they enjoy instead of rushing through what they hate and making mistakes, the work goes by much fast and more pleasantly...thanks to Josefina.

Looking Back

The historical section describes the process of weaving blankets, from shearing the sheep to cleaning the wool to carding and spinning it to dying it to finally weaving it. The blankets were made with different designs inspired by the New Mexican landscape and by Navajo culture. Blankets were made to trade to the United States or as gift for special occasions such as weddings.

Misc

This story takes place a week after the flood that killed the family's sheep.

Josefina Learns a Lesson

Published in 1997; author Valerie Tripp; illustrators Jean-Paul Tibbles and Susan McAliley

Plot

Now that Tia Dolores is living with Josefina's family, the sisters are learning a lot. Their sewing skills are improving, they're learning new things, and the way Tia Dolores encourages them without doing their work for them helps their self-confidence soar (this causes some friction with Francisca, who thought her aunt's arrival would mean less work, not more, but she does recognize that Tia Dolores is helping with things overall and works hard herself). Things seem to be going well for the Montoyas.

But heavy rains come, and with them, flooding. The Montoyas are lucky in that they've already harvested their crops, but most of the flock of hundreds of sheep they've been raising to trade drowns. Tia Dolores has an idea: they can use the fleece they already sheared from the sheep to weave blankets, and trade the blankets to the Pueblos for sheep to rebuild the flock. Josefina's father agrees, but Josefina's sisters point out that Josefina hasn't learned to weave. She was too young for their mother to have taught her, and still she's too small to work the large loom. Tia Dolores has a solution for that too: her servant Teresita has a smaller sort of loom that would be perfect for Josefina to learn on. Teresita is Navajo, and learned her style of weaving from her culture. The sisters make quick progress, and their father is pleased that the flock will be restored.

But Francisca's resentment grows. One day she confides to Josefina why she's so resistant to the change Tia Dolores has brought: it makes her feel less connected to their mother. She's worried that if they learn too much the new things will push the memories of their mother out of their minds. Josefina tries to reassure her sister, but she starts to worry herself. The next day, Josefina starts to recite a poem her mother taught her and is distressed to find that she can't remember most of it. Tia Dolores comes to the rescue: while in Mexico City, she wrote down all the poems and songs and sayings that she and Josefina's mother learned as children. Josefina shows the booklet to Francisca: if they learn to read and write, they won't forget their mother but will have better access to her memory. The sisters happily set about learning to read and write.

Looking Back

Learning to read and write was a rare treat for settlers in the 1824 New Mexican desert. The few schools available were in Pueblo towns or in cities, not rural areas like where Josefina lived. Most children who learned to read and write did so from educated family members, and some wealthy ones had private tutors. But even if they were illiterate, they still learned a lot. By the time they were Josefina's age, girls would have learned about sewing, weaving, knitting, spinning, gardening, cooking, and preserving food; boys would learn how to care for livestock and farm a ranch. They also learned about history, religion, and culture through oral tradition.

Misc

This book is dedicated to "my mother, Kathleen Martin Tripp, with love."

Teresita was taken captive by an enemy tribe at a young age and never saw her mother again, which is why weaving in the traditional Navajo style is so important to her.

Josefina has a memory box where she keeps things that remind her of her mother.

Josefina is naturally talented at singing, but is too shy to sing in front of crowds.

Although this takes place after Josefina has begun learning piano and is set after "Again, Josefina," at the beginning of this book, Josefina and her sisters haven't had any writing lessons yet.

Fifteen-year-old Francisca has received a marriage proposal--and turned it down by way of the custom of handing her suitor a squash.

Josefina's father can read and write, but her mother couldn't. Tia Dolores learned in Mexico City, from her aunt.

Josefina's full name is Maria Josefina Montoya. That's a good Catholic name, acknowledging Mary and Joseph!