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Rating: 
Summary: These books hit the mark!
Review: As a grown up, hispanic woman who grew up in New Mexico (whose grandmother's name was actually Josefina), I must say that these books are very factual and well written. Hispanic culture does not change much from generation to generation, and the depictions of the culturally rich traditions of a hispanic family from that area of the country are perfect. These books are a joy to read!
Rating:
Summary: These books hit the mark!
Review: As a grown up, hispanic woman who grew up in New Mexico (whose grandmother's name was actually Josefina), I must say that these books are very factual and well written. Hispanic culture does not change much from generation to generation, and the depictions of the culturally rich traditions of a hispanic family from that area of the country are perfect. These books are a joy to read!
Rating:
Summary: Great!
Review: I have been an American Girl fan since I was 6, and the Josefina books make me an even bigger fan. The stories are engaging and the characters very likeable. The Josefina series is a great way to introduce a child to the way Hispanic people in the early nineteenth century lived. I think that the 2-star rating from the reviewer from Japan was inappropriate, because as she mentioned, the books are written for younger girls, and so are not meant to be long, involved books that cater to more grown-up tastes. They are perfectly written for the targeted age group, and I think girls of that age group would love them.
Rating:
Summary: These are great books
Review: I've read all the Josefina books! They are great! If you have a daugter who is 6 and up and interested in different cultures Buy her Josefina books. They are a little over priced.
Rating:
Summary: Change and Tradition
Review: Josefina (pronounced "ho-sa-FEE-nah") is a nine year old Hispanic girl growing up on a large rancho in New Mexico in 1824. The first story opens up with Josefina and her three older sisters finding comfort in daily chores while thinking about Mama, who had died a year before. Then, Abuelo (Grandfather) returns from a trip to Mexico City, bringing with him Tia (Aunt) Dolores. From then on, Tia Dolores is the catalyst for change. The educated, independent young aunt brings new beliefs about a woman's role and challenges the more tradional role that Mama had played in the family. Fortunately, Tia Dolores is a wise and gentle teacher who teaches Josefina that learning new things or doing things differently does not mean forgetting the old. Memories of Mama can be found in learning to read and write, repairing her embroidered altar cloth, celebrating Christmas, and in learning to care for the family and household. Josefina learns that her heart can embrace her cultural traditions while her spirit flies free on the wind of personal, family, and cultural changes.New Mexico Hispanic traditions and the historical lifestyle are accurately portrayed through Josefina's daily routines. The focus on Josefina and her world makes the stories relevant and interesting to the readers. Readers learn about laundry, cooking and baking, food choices, gardens, trips to the river for water, friendships, family roles, manners and codes of conduct, and celebrations. Josefina's family faces tragedy in a flood, hard work to recover losses and maintain daily existance, the emotional conflict of change, and other choices appropriate to the world they live in. Additional historical information for each story is at the back of each book, making this a history lesson that goes down with a spoonful of sugar and much enjoyment. Each book is only 4 chapters long, and if all you want out of it is a nice story, then this series will deliver it in a historical setting that is new to many readers. Because of the excellent research that was done, this series can be used for new students (children and adults) of Southwest history. However, those who want to look deeper will find that the themes of the stories work well with New Mexico history of the time. In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail opened up, bringing Americans to Santa Fe. They brought new goods, created a merchant class, and brought values that were more materialistic than either the Hispanic or Pueblo people had lived by. Josefina, like other members of the younger generation, would spend a lifetime learning about choices, change, and deciding what traditions to hang onto. The Hispanic culture did change, and the wealthy merchants adapted to an Americanized world while rural communities sought to continue to live by their cultural traditions. Either way, the world that Josefina and her sisters inherited would not hold for them the same roles, expectations, and choices that their grandmother had. It is a credit to the Hispanic people that they held onto so much because they did it against discrimination, and in the face of change. To this extent, Tia Dolores is the symbol of this coming change, and Mama is the traditions that they must choose to remember and honor. I reread this series occationally, and it still brings much to my life. Although the brevity of the books is deceptive, I would stick with the publishers recommended reading age of 8-12 (about second through sixth grades) because there is so much that can be learned and enjoyed in these books that a younger child may miss.
Rating: 
Summary: American Girls has another hit!
Review: Like all the American Girls books, these about Josefina are full of great information. The authors are very good about making you feel as if you are apart of that time frame. The best part about the Josefina books is that they also come in a Spanish version. I think that is very important for young hispanic girls to be able to read something about their heritage in their own language.
Rating: 
Summary: Josefina
Review: The book about Josefina is good but not good enough. It has a lot of facts and info if u are looking for an educational book. The book is for children about the ages of 7-9 or younger. When you are mature or think more about the subjects of books you don't like little books or books about childish things. The book tells you lots of spanish words if u are looking for a language to learn. The book would be a lot better with more suspense and excitement and more details about things.
Rating:
Summary: explores a forgotten part of U.S. History
Review: The Josefina Boxed Set introduces you to the world of Josefina Montoya, a Mexican girl living in present day New Mexico. She's a girl full of heart and a peacemaker to boot (according to her sisters and her aunt) but Josefina, her sisters, and her father are struggling with the loss of thier mother/wife, who died a year or two before the start of the Josefina books. That's where Meet Josefina starts up: by introducing you to Josefina and her family's problems. Along comes Tia Dolores (Tia is Spanish for Aunt) and Josefina and her sisters discover that Tia Dolores is good at helping them get their work done and forget the pain of loosing their mother. Tia Dolores also has a knack for keeping the sisters from fighting, especially Francisca and Clara. So Josefina concocts a plan to get Tia Dolores to stay and help the ailing Montoya family and servants. The remaining books explore how Tia Dolores helps the Montoyas cope with their loss and discover their full potential. In Josefina Learns a Lesson, a flood devastates the Montoya ranch and the Montoyas are forced to find a way to solve the problem. Tia Dolores proposes that they use their wool to make blankets to sell to their neighbors and to the Americans next summer. Meanwhile, Tia Dolores wants the girls to read and unknowingly divides them into two groups. When Tia Dolores convinces the girls of the merits of reading, they decide to follow up on her offer. In the end, its Josefina who unknowingly convinces her sisters to read. In Josefina's Surprise we get a look at Catholic traditions through the eyes of the Montoyas. But just as the Montoyas are getting ready for the holidays, they discover that the altar cloth their mother made is destroyed. Josefina and her sisters are convinced that they cannot fix it, that is until Tia Dolores shows them that they can and its Tia Dolores who ultimately gives Josefina the courage to be Maria (Mary) in Las Posadas (The Inns). The book teaches that Christmas is more than family and gifts, and that is a message I was grateful to see, especially in today's world where Christmas is so commercialized. In Happy Birthday, Josefina!, Josefina is convinced that she will one day be a curandura (the 1820's Spanish equivalent of a doctor). But she has yet to show that she will one day be able to fulfill that task and instead disobeys her Aunt and destroys a jar. Forgiveness gives Josefina the courage to find a way to her dreams. And she finally does get the chance to prove that she has the potential to be a curandura. Josefina Saves the Day is a story about keeping promises, in this case across cultures. Josefina and her family are in Santa Fe for the summer so that they can sell their blankets and pack mules for sheep to replenish their herd (the one killed in the flood from Josefina Learns A Lesson) when Josefina meets up with a young American man who does the dealing for them. It seems as though he's broken his promises, however, when he disappears before completing the deal. Changes for Josefina is the final book in the series. Now Andres Montoya, Josefina's dad, is ready to marry again. Problem is, Tia Dolores thinks she's in the way and that she's no longer needed by the Montoya sisters to show them how to run the household. So she plans to leave, only this time she's the one that Josefina's dad is after. Problem is that neither one realizes it, and the customs of the time prevent Josefina and her sisters from interfering. The peek into the past selections of all six books explore the New Mexico of 1824, showing readers that New Mexico was part of Mexico at that time. The books also show the process New Mexico went through to become a state. The War of 1848 is also mentioned in here, as well as the pain Mexicans went through as they were treated differently by Americans and many of their lands were taken over. Overall, the peek into the past selections show young readers a section of American History often neglected in American History classes at every level. The final peek into the past selection explores New Mexico's tansition from 1824 to today and how New Mexican culture was integrated with American culture. The peek into the past in Josefina's Surprise explores the Catholic traditions surrounding Christmas and how they are practiced today, as well as the Biblical basis for them-a real treat for Catholics and Protestants alike. Spanish is used throughout the Josefina books, and a glossary at the back explains the words used. Overall, the Josefina books explore a neglected portion of American History, and Josefina Montoya as a character is a real winner. She is my favorite of the American Girls Collection characters. My favorite book out of her series is Changes for Josefina. I recommend her boxed set highly, as it talks about New Mexico in 1824 and of course, the character of Josefina, one of the more admirable characters in the series.
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