Thanks to Josefina (American Girls Short Stories)

Rating:
Summary: A great book!
Review: This is another one of the American Girls Short Stories series about Josefina Montoya, a nine-year-old girl living in the New Mexico of 1824. In this book, as the sisters work on blankets to save the rancho (see Josefina Learns a Lesson) the excitement of the project turns into drudgery, as each of the girls finds different chores irksome, and they begin to quarrel. But, while out gathering roots and nuts and things to make dyes for the wool, Josefina suddenly realizes that there is something that can bring the sisters back together.

The final chapter of this book is on Mexican blankets of 1824, and gives directions for dyeing a shirt with supplies from around the house. As I have always been quick to point out, Jean-Paul Tibbles' illustrations are excellent in quality and add to the experience of reading this great book. My daughter and I both enjoyed this book, and we recommend it to you.

Rating:
Summary: Thank You, Josefina!
Review: This is the fifth short story published about the American Girl, Josefina. The setting of this book is around the time period of "Josefina Learns a Lesson". Josefina's family has just experienced a terrible financial loss where a sudden flood killed many of the rancho's sheep. Tia Dolores and the girls have decided to recover the loss by weaving stored wool into wool blankets for trade to build up new a flock.

Josefina eagerly wants to please her Aunt with the new weaving business, but her sisters quickly turn on her for the hard work they now have to do "Thanks to Josefina". Teresita, Tia Dolores servant who teaches Josefina to weave, takes the discouraged Josefina on a walk to look for plants for dyes and gently helps her understand how many colors can contribute to each rug they weave. Soon, her sisters find something that they can genuinely thank Josefina for as they learn to work together more peacefully!

I enjoyed this short story because it integrated Josefina's skill and knowledge of plants, which was introduced in "Happy Birthday, Josefina". "Thanks to Josefina" identifies several regional plants for dyes, and includes a project where readers can make their own dye from an onion to tie-dye a t-shirt.