HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSEFINA!

paper 1-56247-587-8 In this entry in one strand of the American Girls series (Meet Josefina, 1997, etc.), Josefina is approaching her tenth birthday and has decided she wants to be a healer like her godmother, T°a Magdalena. Participating in family and community activities—raising a baby goat, helping to replaster the church, and helping T°a Magdalena—take up much of her time. Near the end she is given the opportunity to prove her ability as a healer when her friend, Mariana, is bitten by a rattlesnake. This cheerful story is packed with historical tidbits. The adorable baby goat will appeal to the target audience, and although the story can be bland, it is well-paced, and enhanced by lovely realistic illustrations. (glossary) (Fiction. 7-10)