Valley of the Moon: the Diary of María Rosalia de Milagros [Hardcover]

Sherry Garland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001 | Age Level: 9 and up

María Rosalia is a Mestizo servant in a Spanish home. Orphaned years ago, she and her brother Domingo work on a ranch run by the stern Señor Medina. María¹s writing captures the intense tradition and culture of the Spanish as she observes the war that Alta California ultimately loses to the Americans.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-A story set during the final months of Mexican rule that incorporates historical events and the many factions of early California-americanos, mexicanos, indios, californios-into it. Orphaned at age five, Rosa and her younger brother were cared for at the Mission Rafael by Padre Ygnacio before they became servants at the large Medina rancho. The children are treated benevolently, often as family. However, Rosa longs for knowledge about her own parents-a secret that comes to light at the conclusion. The book includes a historical note, black-and-white reproductions from the time period, and a glossary of Spanish terms. (Unfortunately, there is no pronunciation guide.) A current map of the U.S. shows the locations of San Francisco and Sonoma Valley; however, historical locations and Baja California are not marked. The strength of this well-researched book lies in the inclusion of so much factual information. However, the quick pace of the plot allows for little depth of character or emotional reaction to the events. None of the characters plays a strong or active role in the historical happenings. Rosa primarily reports the events that take place around her. Despite the book's shortcomings, it will be a popular follow-up to other "Dear America" titles (Scholastic).-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Maria Rosalia de Milagros, a 13-year-old orphan working on a California rancho in 1846, picks up a discarded diary that changes her life forever. She writes in secret--no one knows she can read and write--and the journal becomes a "refuge in a sea of work" and a powerful tool that helps her make sense of her life. She writes about the hard work; the rare pleasures of church festivals; her coworkers and wealthy employers; and the disturbing increase of norteamericanos coming to California. Some of them, like kindly Senor Johnson, become friends and neighbors; others steal land and are eager to appropriate Alta California for the U.S. Maria's most heartfelt writing, however, is about being orphaned. Garland has cast Maria as a sturdy heroine, whose love for Alta California infuses her story with a strong sense of place, and the historical details are both accurate and interestingly woven into the story. Like other books in the popular Dear America series, this one is illustrated; it also includes a glossary of Spanish terms, an epilogue, and a lengthy historical note. A worthy addition. Jean Franklin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 218 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439088208
• ISBN-13: 978-0439088206
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sherry Garland is the award-winning author of twenty-eight books for children, teenagers and adults. Several of her books focus on the Vietnamese culture due to her close friendships with Vietnamese families. As a fifth generation Texan, she also sets many of her books in the Lone Star State. She especially likes to write historical works. For more information, visit her website: www.sherrygarland.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Sherry Garland's Best!, May 3, 2001

By 

Maryam (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Valley of the Moon: the Diary of María Rosalia de Milagros (Hardcover)

Maria Rosalia De Milagros is a servant for the Medina family on thier ranch in Alta California. She doesn't know who her father was and her mother died from smallpox. The only blood relation she knows is her brother, Dominigo. Maria (Rosa for short) wants to know who her parents were and what happened to them. While living with the Medinas she lives with Miguela (the lovely, yet very hard to get oldest daughter of the Medinas) Rafaela, the pale and sickly sister who gets sick by a simple bruise, Gabriela the sister who treats Rosa like a sister(but she is brought up learning that Rosa is lower than her and could have remarks as hard as stone at times) Senor Medina, the kind father of the Medina family, who treats Dominigo like the son he never knew, and Senorita Medina. Along comes Senor Henry Johnston (an americano) and desperately tries to get married to Miguela. While Senore Johnston is trying to get Miguela's hand in marriage, he has a friendship with Rosa and introduces her to his niece, Nelly. Nelly has faced many hardships. She came from Missouri to Alta, California, and right before she reached California her parents died. The only close relativity that she has now is her brother, Walter, whom Rosa has a secret feeling towards. Great addition to the Dear America books!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 13-year-old girl's diary of life in California in 1846., January 6, 2001

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Valley of the Moon: the Diary of María Rosalia de Milagros (Hardcover)

The year is 1845, the place Sonoma Valley in Alta California. Raised as a Catholic at a Spanish mission in Northern California along with her younger brother before the two of them were taken in to be the servants of a wealthy Mexican family on their ranch, thirteen year old Maria Rosalia de Milagros barely remembers her Indian mother, who died of smallpox when she was six. She doesn't even know who her father was, only that he was a white man, or even what her real name was - Maria Rosalia was the name given to her by Padre Ygnacio, the priest who saved the lives of her and her little brother. Even though she is well treated by the family she works for, the Medinas, Maria Rosalia longs to know who her parents were. Her only hope would be to find Padre Yganico, and she doesn't have any idea where he is after all these years. Still, Maria Rosalia is able to find joy in holidays and celebrations, in writing in her diary, and in a new American friend, but there is a great deal of sorrow as well. This was an excellent addition to the Dear America series that revealed a great deal about a way of life that has vanished into the depths of time, and taught me about a period in American history that I knew little about.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really great story of a Mexican girl in California!, June 12, 2004

By 

Caitlin Gregorczyk, age 15 (Abingdon,VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Valley of the Moon: the Diary of María Rosalia de Milagros (Hardcover)

Valley of The Moon: The Diary of Maria Rosalia De Milagros is a wonderful book and very interesting. It is a Dear America Book written by Sherry Garland, who also wrote A Line in the Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence. Valley of the Moon is the 1840's diary of a half-Mexican, half-Indian girl who is a servant on a rich Mexican rancho in California. She writes about her daily life and the people in it in her diary. She doesn't worry about holding back her feelings when she writes about her chores, the people she knows, and the Americans taking over California during the Mexican-American War. It was very neat to get the perspective of a Mexican girl - something that is very hard to find.

Rosy is 14 years old, growing up in northern California as a servant on the Medina's Rancho. In her diary she writes about the Medina daughters and what she thinks about them (especially the oldest), and about the cattle branding and bull fights which were interesting to watch. In addition, since all Mexicans were Catholic at that time, Rosy tells of how they celebrated the holidays, Christmas and Easter, in Mexican California. She writes about her new best friend, Nelly, and how her own mother died of smallpox in the woods when she was very young. After she died, Padre Ygnaco found Rosy and her younger brother and brought them to the mission, where she learned how to read and write. Later in this book, Rosy sets off to find out the past of her mother and father.

This book has 222 pages and 185 of them are the actual diary. The other 37 pages consist of the epilogue, a glossary of Spanish words used in this book, and a historical note. The historical note gives a brief history on how Alta (upper) California became a home for Mexican rancheros and later American settlers. It describes how the Americans took over California during the Mexican-American War, and how the Mexican way of life changed after the gold rush, which started in 1848. In addition, there are pictures in the back of the book showing chores, a bullfight, words to a love song, and the recipe for pastelitos de boda- wedding cookies! Also, there is a green ribbon attached to the book to mark your place when you are finished reading.

I would recommend this book for girls ages 12 and up, and for anyone who loves the Dear America Books. This one is very well written and interesting to read. I have read a lot of the Dear America and My America books and this one is one of my favorites!