...And Now Miguel (Paperback)

by Joseph Krumgold (Author), Jean Charlot (Illustrator) "I AM Miguel..." (more)
Key Phrases: sheep wagon, shearing shed, first lamb, San Ysidro, Sangre de Cristo, Los Cordovas (more...)

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. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

He wanted to be treated like a man, not a child.

Every summer the men of the Chavez family go on a long and difficult sheep drive to the mountains. All the men, that is, except for Miguel. All year long, twelve-year-old Miguel tries to prove that he, too, is up to the challenge'that he, too, is up to the challenge'that he, too is ready to take the sheep into his beloved Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

When his deeds go unnoticed, he prays to San Ysidro, the saint for farmers everywhere. And his prayer is answered . . . but with devastating consequences.

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.

Winner, 1954 Newbery Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1953 (ALA)
1954 Junior Book Award (Boys' Clubs of America)

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 4, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006440143X
• ISBN-13: 978-0064401432
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #333,793 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 35 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

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.

10 of 11 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 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.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will Miguel's Self-Pity Finally End ?, April 13, 2005

A Kid's Review

This story takes place in the recent past near Taos, Mexico in a village called Los Cordovas. Since this story takes place in Los Cordovas, people talk in Spanish and in English and that's why they have Spanish names.

This book is mostly about a twelve year-old boy named Miguel, his dad (Old Blas), and his brother, Gabriel. Miguel wants to go with his dad and other members of his family to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where they go with their sheep to feed them green grass each year.

In my opinion I liked how the places the story took place were arranged, and how it was taken place in real places. I thought it was a VERY good book because the characters in this book sound really real. I would recommend this book because it is really realistic and because it talks about people who would act like we do now.