Happy Birthday, Josefina!: A Springtime Story

There was a lot of movement in this book and also surprisingly little focus on the birthday. First Josefina goes to the village to help Tia Magdalena, and later she visits the nearby pueblo. Tia Magdalena (a curandera or traditional healer) teaches her how different plants are used. Disappointingly, but not surprisingly after seeing how Tripp can avoid mentioning slavery on a plantation setting in the Felicity books, the difference between the pueblo and village aren't explored. The difference between the native people and customs and the Spanish ones isn't mentioned. Josefina's Native American friend is just used as a quick plot device.

The best thing about this one is that there is a cute baby goat (of whom there are not enough show more illustrations). show less

Josefina is pleased and proud when her godmother, T'a Magdalena, asks for her help with springtime chores. T'a Magdalena is a respected healer in the village, and Josefina hopes to become a healer just like her someday. Then one day at T'a Magdalena's house, Josefina makes an awful mistake that shatters her hopes. She's sure T'a Magdalena will never teach her now! But when Josefina visits her Pueblo Indian friend Mariana, a terrifying adventure shows her just how much she's already learned.

This was an unexpected birthday story but was very interesting nonetheless. The story was a bit of an emotional ride as things got complicated but turned out good in the end.

The story was about how Josefina disappointed her grandmother Tia Magdelena who is a respected healer in the village. Josefina fears that she will never get to be a healer like her grandmother but after a visit to a friend, Josefina proves on her birthday that she is brave and worthy of second chances.

I would use this in my classroom as a discussion to what you would want to be when you grow up and who inspires you. Probably have the children write a journal or make some sort of compilation.

Josefina is very excited to be given a chance to help out Tia Magdelina, but she breaks a vessel and runs away rather than facing her problems. She thinks that she has lost her chance to be a healer, but when her friend Mariana is bitten by a snake, she saves her with her healing knowledge- redeeming herself in Tia Magdelina’s eyes and her own.

Josefina visits her Tia Magdalena to learn about herbs and healing and runs away when she accidentally breaks something while cleaning. She learns to be brave and saves the life of her friend.

Josefina hopes to become a "curandera" or healer like Tia Magdalena, and she is tested just before her tenth birthday when a friend received a potentially fatal snakebite.

Spanish Book.