In 1825 when Josefina trusts a trader in Santa Fe with an important deal, she makes a surprising discovery about this young American who leaves town without paying her.

Josefina and her sisters get to go to Santa Fe to trade their blankets when the American Wagon trains arrive. Her father meets an American scout Patrick O'Toole who catches all the girls' eye and makes a trade of his own. Josefina defies custom and heads out at night to make sure a misunderstanding doesn't ruin her family. More exciting than the previous stories. ( )

This story is a cute one and includes some of the differences concerning manners between Americans and Hispanics. Cute part of the story is when Josefina falls in love with the American trader.

Josefina and her father are about to make an important trade that will effect their Rancho to Patrick O'Toole, the American trader. Josefina decides that she like Patrick and trades something for herself but when Patrick leaves without paying, both Josefina and Papa think he is a cheater until Josefina finds a clue that saves the day.

I would use this in my class as to come up with a clue type of game based on the story and trade things with classmates. I think this might inspire a fun game and could also include things from a multicultural and historical background. ( )

Genre: Historical Fiction

Review: This is a good example of historical fiction because it is about a young Spanish girl and her family as they go through the motions of trading with Americans and compare goods. At the end of the book it gives a "peek into the past" where it gives many historical facts with real pictures of the places in the book.

Age Appropriateness: Primary, Intermediate

Media: acrylic

Setting: The setting is integral because it takes place in New Mexico, which tells a lot about the way of life, the characters, etc. The book would not be complete if it did not have the setting that it has.

Copied from my classroom library:

Josefina and her sisters are in Santa Fe visiting their grandparents and trading with the American wagon train. Josefina is the first to meet Patrick O’Toole, the American they plan to trade with, and she and her sisters decide to give up the blankets that they have been given to trade for something of their own to trade for Patrick’s fiddle as a gift to Papa. When Patrick leaves town, they think they’ve been cheated, until Josefina finds a clue and solves the mystery- saving her father from demanding the money back and ruining his trade dealings. ( )