Type of bind: Hardcover
EAN num: 9780439088206
ISBN number: 0439088208
Label: Scholastic Ltd.
Manufacturer: Scholastic Ltd.
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 218
Printing Date: April 01, 2001
Publishing house: Scholastic Ltd.
Age index: Ages 9-12
Sale Popularity Level: 818372
Studio: Scholastic Ltd.
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
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.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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Valley of the Moon
This story takes place in Sonoma Valley, Alta California, in the year 1846. The main character is a 13 year old girl named Maria Rosalia, but everyone calls her Rosa. Rosa's Spanish father and Indian mother died leaving her and her brother orphans. They now work as servants for Senor and Senora Medina and their 3 daughters.
Every time Senor Medina praises one of his daughters Rosa feels sad because she doesn't have a father. She also feels awful every time someone pities her. Since most other people in the village have families, they don't understand Rosa's troubles.
Rosa is determined to find out who her parents were, so she writes a letter to the man who cared for her before she went to the Medinas. Since this story takes place in rural village, it takes a long time to travel and get news. The tension builds as she waits for his return letter. Rosa is shocked when she reads his reply.
I would recommend this book to girls who like reading dairies of girls from the past.
Rated by buyers -
This book is about seeing a little girl go through half of her life traveling just to get to America. She suffers some things and goes through some things also. Her life is one big ball. She is hoping that the families and herself make it safe to and frow. She starts writing a little diary about of the days that she is traveling in her life and what she does every day. She was so home sick from leaving Rancho Agua Verde. The carts were filled with American clothing, sugar, flour, dry goods, tools, and furniture. Sooner or later her life gets better and better as she goes on.
Rated by buyers -
WOW!!! You should read this book!!!It is wonderful. It's about 13 year old orphan Rosa de Milagros. She is growing up on a ranch as a servant for a wealthy family. She is bonded with the family very tightly (as you will find out in the end!!) and she likes being their servant. She tells how California is going through a war with Mexico and how she wishes California to stay Mexican, which it doesn't. There is romance ;-), historical fiction,intruige and MUCH more. Read this book!!! It is sooooo good
Rated by buyers 
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The setting is the Sonoma Valley in Alta California, 1846. Our heroine, Maria Rosalia, is an orphan who has been taken in as a servant by the wealthy Medina family, of a pure Spanish bloodline. Maria Rosalia does not know what her heritage is. The only one who knows, a kind-hearted priest who has been run out of the priesthood, holds the key to her past. She doesn't know his whereabouts and those who do know warn her not to pursue it.
Class demarcation and conflicts abound in this tale told in diary form. Readers must suspend disbelief at how a largely uneducated child could write a diary with such descriptive passages and insight, but the aim of this book is, I believe, to dispense a history and geography lesson in the guise of a teen story. Would anyone ever write in her diary, "There are no roads, only ruts worn by the wagon"? Our heroine's agitated concern about her parentage and the kind-heartedness of her employers seem anachronistic. It would seem that her life would be much harder than simply picking beans and pumpkins or sewing up dresses. My view is she would not have the leisure or inclination to ponder her family history.
Yet Valley of the Moon succeeds in entertaining and educating its readers. Garland's explanations of California's history are clear and interesting. She intersperses historical characters throughout the story: John Sutter, Santa Anna, Zachary Taylor, and others are mentioned to greater or lesser degrees. There are also pedantic entries on bullfights, Day of the Dead festivities, and other Catholic holy days and festivals.
Rated by buyers -
This book, like ay other, has its spots that aren't that great. In spite of that, I loved the twist at the end. I never saw that coming.
It's also a neat way to learn some Spanish words. I knew almost all of them, but I learned a few more, so it was worth it for that.
I'd recommend this book to anyone!
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