Josefina Learns a Lesson: A School Story

Josefina is delighted when Tia Dolores returns to the Montoyas' rancho. But soon after she arrives, a flash flood kills hundreds of the family's sheep. Tia Dolores suggests that the Montoyas could recover from this terrible loss by starting a weaving business -- something Mama never would have done. But Papa likes the idea. Then Tia Dolores decides to teach the girls how to read. Mama didn't read, but Josefina is excited to learn. Then she begins to worry. Will all these changes make the girls forget Mama? The answer to Josefina's question teaches her an important lesson about love.

I was thrown off by this one and thought I was accidentally reading the third/Christmas book. There's a weird time jump so that Tia Dolores is back at the rancho even though she was just departing at the end of the last book. And Josefina makes her Christmas dress.

While there were some odd choices, this one was pretty good. I like that it approaches issues (death of a parent) kids may go through a bit more seriously than the Felicity books do. So far these books are giving us more of a cultural context than a historical one. By that I mean there isn't a big historical event the story has latched onto yet. I think it took the Felicity series a few books to get going on the American Revolution, so there might still be something along show more those lines to emerge (not only do I not know my American West history very well, I don't know the West, so I guess it will be a surprise). show less

A flood kills most of the rancho's sheep, but Tia Dolores comes up with a way to ensure that they get back on their feet. Josefina learns to weave and to read. The story and characters are interesting enough, though I can't say that Josefina's character has become very memorable to me.

Ti’a Dolores is teaching Josefina many new things, but Francisca worries that changing things brings them further from their mother. Josefina wonders whether learning to write will bring her away from her mother, until her aunt shows her that she can write down all the things her mother used to say.

Josefina and her sisters distrust learning to read and write, as well as other changes their Tia Dolores is bringing to the household.

AR: 4.5

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