...And Now Miguel [Hardcover]

Joseph Krumgold (Author), Jean Charlot (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1953 | Age Level: 10 and up

When you act like and adult but get treated like a child, what else can you do but keep your wishes secret and pray that they'll come true.

This is the story of a twelve-year-old Miguel Chavez, who yearns in his heart to go with the men of his family on a long and hard sheep drive to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains -- until his prayer is finally answered, with a disturbing and dangerous exchange.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A memorable and deeply moving story of a family of New Mexican sheepherders, in which Miguel, neither child nor man, tells of his great longing to accompany men and sheep to summer pasture, and expresses his need to be recognized as a maturing individual." -- BL.

About the Author

Joseph Krumgold received the Newbery Medal for ...And Now Miguel. One of the few people to receive the medal twice, he was subsequently awarded it for his novel Onion John,also available in a Harper Trophy edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (January 1, 1953)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0690091184
• ISBN-13: 978-0690091182
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,626,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR, May 20, 1999

By 

Plume45 "kitka12345" (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ...And Now Miguel (Paperback)

Miguel at 12 desperately wants to take his place among the Menfolk of his family, by proving to his father that he is mature enough to be one of the regular hands. For years he has dreamed of accompanying the Chavez men on their annual summer trek up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with their large flock of sheep. Despite his zeal, creativity and real help with the family business, Miguel seems condemned to spend yet another summer at home with the girls.

When the entire village near Taos, New Mexico, turns out to celebrate the feast day of San Ysidro, their local patron, Miguel decides to petition the saint in a touchingly humorous (almost letter like) prayer. He takes it for granted that his wish will be granted, but soon is shocked to discover the harsh conditions. He never meant for his beloved brother, Gabriel, to have to leave home for two years in the military. Is there any way he can take back his wish? This leads to a long, soul-searching discussion on the

efficacy of prayer, the power and limitations of saints, and great fraternal quality time.

This story will apppeal more to boys seeking macho experience, for the role of females is relegated to the superficial. Still the book provides warm, family interactions. Narrated in the first person by Miguel himself, the book reveals the coming-of-age struggle and dreams of a Mexican-American youth. Readers will discover wry humor, simple faith, bi-lingual slang, and uneven pacing. Krumgold indulges in great detail about the sheep raising business, as Miguel blunders his way into adulthood. Wonderful descriptions of the mountains which have been calling him for years.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars REALISTIC, Historic Fiction for Readers with Patience, July 5, 2002

By 

Tracy Robert (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ...And Now Miguel (Paperback)

This Newberry Award winner is a classic that may best be appreciated by readers with patience for a slower lifestyle. This is not for action-adventure junkies waiting for a roller coaster ride of thrills and suspense. I enjoyed this book because I am familiar with the setting in Northern New Mexico around Taos, which is well described in the book. For hundreds of years ranch owners have sent their shepherds and sheep to the green grazing fields in the local mountains during the summer months. The desire to go to the mountains with the sheep would have been a common personal conflict with older children. As a work of realistic fiction, it portrays a real lifestyle with real dreams and conflicts in a time and place before our modern technology, noise, and adrenaline surges of a rushed, stressed based lifestyle. This book is for the sophisticated reader who is looking for a good story in a work of historical fiction.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars ...And Now Miguel, April 7, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: And Now Miguel (Paperback)

The book I read is called And Now Miguel. It's about a boy who lives with is family by Toas, New Mexico. Miguel and his family raised sheep in a barn. Miguel and his brother Gabiral raise baby sheep and his mom, dad, and uncles raise the older sheep. One day when Miguel and his brother were looking for sheep that were missing a wolf came. Miguel saw, and he got scared so he told his brother and his brother grabbed a gun and shot him in the leg and the wolf ran away. Miguel wants to be respected but he can't be. Miguel wants to be like his brother Gabiral, but he can't. So to prove that he can be like anyone Miguel climbs a mountian called la Sagre de Cristo. So he does, and becomes like his brother.
I give this 3 stars because it's a fun book but also a boring book. I don't like it a lot because some of the parts are dumb like he has to climb a mountian to be respected and be like his brother. Also I don't like it because there's not much action in the book. The parts I like about the book is that they have a nice family and they don't fight a lot. Also I like the part when they fight with each other and that's why I gave this book 3 stars.