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Josefina's Song (American Girl: Short Stories #14) by Valerie Tripp

 

Summary (from the publisher): On a visit to the family's shepherd camp in the mountains, a sudden storm puts Papa in danger. Can Josefina get them both to safety?

Review: Josefina begs to accompany her father on a visit up into the mountains to check on the family's sheep flock and the shepherd that tends to them. But while there, they are caught in a storm and Papa is injured, testing Josefina. 

Like all of the American Girl short stories, this book felt surprisingly full and complete for such a brief story. I appreciated that this book shed light on the often harsh and isolated lifestyle of shepherds that worked and lived on the land in what is now New Mexico in the mid nineteenth century. The family's shepherd is elderly and disabled and relies heavily on his young grandson to help him keep the flock safe. Of course, in today's world this would never be allowed to happen but in Josefina's world, this was the reality of life that children had to contribute and help their family with very serious responsibilities. Josefina's life, although also full of work and responsibilities, is very privileged in comparison. 

I wish there was some indication on these short stories of when to read them in relation to the main books in the series. This story takes place soon after the family loses many of their sheep in a flash flood, so it would have been nice to read it after that book as an accompanying piece. 

Stars: 4

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