Happy Birthday, Josefina! is the fourth book in the Josefina series.
The Spanish title is ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Josefina!: Un cuento de primavera (Literally: "Happy Birthday, Josefina!: A Spring Story")
Characters[]
- Josefina Montoya
- Ana Montoya
- Francisca Montoya
- Clara Montoya
- Andres Montoya
- Dolores Romero
- Magdalena Montoya
- Señora Sánchez
- Señor Sánchez
Introduced[]
Chapter by Chapter Summary[]
Chapter One: Spring Sprouts[]
Chapter Two: Tía Magdalena[]
Chapter Three: Second Chances[]
Chapter Four: Rattlesnake[]
Looking Back: Growing Up in 1824[]
Discusses, birth, childhood, and maturity in New Mexico in the 1820s. Topics include:
- The role a partera, or midwife, played during childbirth and early postnatal care
- The role of curanderas, or traditional Native Mexican healers, and their knowledge about plants and other traditional medicines
- The role of godparents in a person's life and how they were chosen
- How children were given their names, baptized, and frequently named after the saint's day they were born on
- How children celebrate their saint's day/birthday with gifts for themselves and others, music, sweets, and religious ceremonies
- Children's role in every day work running a ranchero, and the expectations of a child in labor and behavior
- The games and activities New Mexican children played, including toys, word riddles, sports, and games
- A Catholic child's First Holy Communion at age twelve or thirteen, symbolizing their transition into adulthood and maturity.
- Proposal and marriages in New Mexico, which could start at age fifteen for young girls, and refusing proposals with squashes
- Expectations of marriage and future parenting, and what unmarried women did to assist their families
Variations[]
The 2024 re-release edition includes a new foreword. This foreword mentions updated imagery and language and a revised Looking Back section. The book also has pages with additional resources and discussion questions.
Book Covers[]
Items associated with Happy Birthday, Josefina![]
- Feast Day Finery
- Heirloom Accessories
- Sombrita the Baby Goat
- Josefina's Birthday Dishes and Party Treats
Trivia[]
- An excerpt of Chapter Four was published in American Girl Magazine under the title "Josefina and the Snake."