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American Girl: Short Stories #2
A Reward for Josefina
When the entire family goes into the hills to collect pine nuts, Josefina hopes to find the most in order to make Tia Dolores proud of her, but it takes the help of a squirrel for Josephina to get her reward.
39 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1999
3 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Tripp
275 books456 followersValerie Tripp is a children's book author, best known for her work with the American Girl series.
She grew up in Mount Kisco, New York with three sisters and one brother. A member of the first co-educated class at Yale University, Tripp also has a M.Ed. from Harvard. Since 1985 she has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her husband teaches history at Montgomery College.
Right out of college, Tripp started writing songs, stories, and nonfiction for The Superkids Reading Program, working with Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl. For that series, Tripp wrote all the books about Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen and many of the books about Samantha. She also wrote the "Best Friends" character stories to date, plays, mysteries, and short stories about all her characters.. Film dramatizations of the lives of Samantha, Felicity, Molly, and Kit have been based on her stories. Currently, Tripp is writing a STEM series for National Geographic and adapting Greek Myths for Starry Forest Publishing. A frequent speaker at schools and libraries, Tripp has also spoken at the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, and Williamsburg.
She grew up in Mount Kisco, New York with three sisters and one brother. A member of the first co-educated class at Yale University, Tripp also has a M.Ed. from Harvard. Since 1985 she has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her husband teaches history at Montgomery College.
Right out of college, Tripp started writing songs, stories, and nonfiction for The Superkids Reading Program, working with Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl. For that series, Tripp wrote all the books about Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen and many of the books about Samantha. She also wrote the "Best Friends" character stories to date, plays, mysteries, and short stories about all her characters.. Film dramatizations of the lives of Samantha, Felicity, Molly, and Kit have been based on her stories. Currently, Tripp is writing a STEM series for National Geographic and adapting Greek Myths for Starry Forest Publishing. A frequent speaker at schools and libraries, Tripp has also spoken at the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, and Williamsburg.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 9, 2022
Such a cute little throwback book! My 9-year-old self is thriving.
September 15, 2024
These shorts are a great opportunity to highlight secondary characters who didn't get much focus in the core series. This is a second story featuring one of Josefina's small nephews. At first, they're both disappointed they don't get to participate in the nut collecting, but together, they find a way to join the fun.
More Josefina babble
Meet Josefina | Josefina Learns a Lesson | Josefina’s Surprise | Happy Birthday, Josefina | Josefina Saves the Day | Changes for Josefina
A Reward for Josefina | Again, Josefina! | Josefina’s Song | Just Josefina | Thanks to Josefina | Josefina’s Short Story Collection
Secrets in the Hills | The Glowing Hearts
More Josefina babble
Meet Josefina | Josefina Learns a Lesson | Josefina’s Surprise | Happy Birthday, Josefina | Josefina Saves the Day | Changes for Josefina
A Reward for Josefina | Again, Josefina! | Josefina’s Song | Just Josefina | Thanks to Josefina | Josefina’s Short Story Collection
Secrets in the Hills | The Glowing Hearts
April 26, 2022
For a short story, this little book packs a strong emotional punch. With simple words, it perfectly captures the feelings of wanting to impress someone that you respect and the disappointment of being assigned a task that seems inferior and less worthy of your talents.
There was also a tense moment in the action when it seemed that disaster was looming on the horizon. But the characters involved got a happy resolution.
One nitpick that I personally have about this work as a whole comes from the 'Pastime' section, which consists of a recipe for a New Mexican pastry called a pastel. The recipe requires lard, which I'm fairly sure can be difficult to find in certain parts of the United States. Since this book is from the American Girls Collection, it should by definition be accessible to readers across the country. Therefore, I think it would have been helpful to include a lard substitution on the ingredients list as well, to give aspiring cooks the option of using either/or.
My final thoughts on the book are that, although the events related in this story are not crucial to the overall plot of the American Girl Josefina series, this is an emotionally well-constructed work.
Did I like it? For the most part.
Would I reread it? While I did enjoy the story, I don't think that it has enough substance on a non-emotional level to make it necessary to reread.
Would I recommend it? I feel that this book could be a useful tool in prompting discussion among young readers about how they and others experience certain emotions.
On a final note, the author herself also provided a book recommendation that I now feel the need to look into.
There was also a tense moment in the action when it seemed that disaster was looming on the horizon. But the characters involved got a happy resolution.
One nitpick that I personally have about this work as a whole comes from the 'Pastime' section, which consists of a recipe for a New Mexican pastry called a pastel. The recipe requires lard, which I'm fairly sure can be difficult to find in certain parts of the United States. Since this book is from the American Girls Collection, it should by definition be accessible to readers across the country. Therefore, I think it would have been helpful to include a lard substitution on the ingredients list as well, to give aspiring cooks the option of using either/or.
My final thoughts on the book are that, although the events related in this story are not crucial to the overall plot of the American Girl Josefina series, this is an emotionally well-constructed work.
Did I like it? For the most part.
Would I reread it? While I did enjoy the story, I don't think that it has enough substance on a non-emotional level to make it necessary to reread.
Would I recommend it? I feel that this book could be a useful tool in prompting discussion among young readers about how they and others experience certain emotions.
On a final note, the author herself also provided a book recommendation that I now feel the need to look into.
April 14, 2025
This was a fun short story in the Josefina universe! I really liked that this story let a side character that was only referred to in passing in the longer novels - one of Josefina's young nephews - have a bigger role in this book. Both of my daughters were very curious about Josefina being an aunt at such a young age and asked a lot about her nephews, so they were both gratified to get to see more of one of them in this book. This book also packed a punch for such a short book! This felt like a well-rounded story.
I also appreciated that this book shed light on another source of food for Josefina and her family. The looking back section of this book talks about how people at the time would gather these nuts to eat or trade for other goods. It is always fun to learn more about real history in a fictional way with my daughters - and for them to think about what a huge role Josefina played in the family's wellbeing even at her young age.
I also appreciated that this book shed light on another source of food for Josefina and her family. The looking back section of this book talks about how people at the time would gather these nuts to eat or trade for other goods. It is always fun to learn more about real history in a fictional way with my daughters - and for them to think about what a huge role Josefina played in the family's wellbeing even at her young age.
October 6, 2023
Josefina's father starts a nut collecting contest with a promise of a reward. Unfortunately, Josefina isn't given a chance to participate and is left behind to take care of the younger kids and watch lunch.
BUT, she and Juan are determined to win and search for nuts too as they watch their lunch! Her bratty sisters don't realize their secret when they mock them for even asking for their bag to be checked too. For Josefina the praise of her elders is all the reward she needs 😊
Cute story, glad Josefina was able to both help and participate.
BUT, she and Juan are determined to win and search for nuts too as they watch their lunch! Her bratty sisters don't realize their secret when they mock them for even asking for their bag to be checked too. For Josefina the praise of her elders is all the reward she needs 😊
Cute story, glad Josefina was able to both help and participate.
May 2, 2020
Surprisingly good. I have had this little book since the 90s when the American Girl dolls were introduced. I finally read it and found it to have a fiction story, Nonfiction article with old photographs, a recipe for a Mexican pastry and a Spanish dictionary all in this tiny book. I am very impressed with the quality of the book. It was copy written in 1999.
January 4, 2022
This book was my second least favorite out of the short story collection that Josefina had. It’s just a story about Josefina gathering nuts. While I liked Juan, he’s a very cute kid (as is Antonio - I wish Ana’s children were in the books earlier than this in the series)… This story with Josefina and Juan just did nothing for me overall. It was just them picking nuts… Why?
January 20, 2022
This book was alright. A few things bothered me. Why didn't Papa let Josefina go pick nuts? He should have had Ana stay back. The boys are her kids. Josefina is young and competitive. Holding her back is cruel. That one factor kind of ruined the rest of the story for me. It was alright, but not the best.
June 9, 2024
Josefina is disappointed that she must care for her nephew rather than participate in a nut collecting contest, but she and Juan are determined to win and search for nuts as they watch their lunch. Not only do they find a treasure of nuts, but they win the contest. Josefina is content to hear the praise of her elders.
September 28, 2025
as i continue to buy lots of american girl books, surprisingly, this was my major introduction and first josefina book.
i really enjoyed it and want to try making the recipe included, i like that at this time american girl would include things like that even within a short story collection like this.
i really enjoyed it and want to try making the recipe included, i like that at this time american girl would include things like that even within a short story collection like this.
August 5, 2022
Sometimes what you see as a burden or something that will hold you back may be the biggest blessing that you may get. This shows the familial love but also strength in doing what is right but also supporting your family. I love that these books have information and a recipe at the back for others to learn to do something new.
December 31, 2017
It would have made more sense for Ana to stay with the children instead of Josefina. The pastel recipe looks good but pine nuts are expensive so they don't quite make sense for a short story.
June 27, 2021
It was a fun read but I'm not sure what to feel about Josefina and her brother stealing the nuts from the squirrel's home 😅😅
October 2, 2023
Getting rid of my TBR list and the American Short Stories have been on it since 2000, as we got them while our family were refugees in US.
February 1, 2024
Cute.
October 2, 2025
Josefina is still my favorite American girl
June 4, 2012
Well, this was disappointing. Josefina and Juan have been left behind to guard the family's camp while the other members hunt for piñon nuts, but Josefina had wanted to gather the most piñon nuts so she could win her father's prize and impress her Aunt Dolores. So, as is reasonable, they start searching the nearby piñon trees for nuts; Josefina gets inventive and jumps up and down on the tree branches to shake the nuts loose for her toddler-age nephew to gather off the ground. So far, it's a great story about resourcefulness.
Then the squirrel shows up, and the whole story goes downhill. After they chase it away from their lunch, Josefina spots the squirrel's home; like an respectable squirrel, this one has planned for the winter and shoved all the nuts s/he could gather in his hole-in-a-tree home. And Josefina steals every last one.
Do you know how long it took that squirrel to get those nuts? Do you know how many he'll be able to get before winter now? None, because the Montoyas have picked the area clean. This squirrel is going to starve to death during the winter, all because of Josefina.
So when Papá and Dolores learn how Josefina got the nuts, I expected her to be reprimanded. They own a rancho, so they have plenty of food--these nuts are really just a delicacy. To the squirrel, they're life or death. I assumed the adults would explain that to their wayward ten-year-old.
But no. Of course not. Tía Dolores smiles when she learns how Josefina obtained (read: stole) the nuts; she's proud, she says. And it's okay, Josefina thinks, because while she got the squirrel's nuts, the squirrel took the piloncillo (a little cone of hard brown sugar). How utterly fair! The squirrel gets some sugar, and you get the food he relied on to survive the winter! You get to snack on some roasted nuts, and he gets to... starve to death?
So yeah, great moral. Really disappointed with this one.
Then the squirrel shows up, and the whole story goes downhill. After they chase it away from their lunch, Josefina spots the squirrel's home; like an respectable squirrel, this one has planned for the winter and shoved all the nuts s/he could gather in his hole-in-a-tree home. And Josefina steals every last one.
Do you know how long it took that squirrel to get those nuts? Do you know how many he'll be able to get before winter now? None, because the Montoyas have picked the area clean. This squirrel is going to starve to death during the winter, all because of Josefina.
So when Papá and Dolores learn how Josefina got the nuts, I expected her to be reprimanded. They own a rancho, so they have plenty of food--these nuts are really just a delicacy. To the squirrel, they're life or death. I assumed the adults would explain that to their wayward ten-year-old.
But no. Of course not. Tía Dolores smiles when she learns how Josefina obtained (read: stole) the nuts; she's proud, she says. And it's okay, Josefina thinks, because while she got the squirrel's nuts, the squirrel took the piloncillo (a little cone of hard brown sugar). How utterly fair! The squirrel gets some sugar, and you get the food he relied on to survive the winter! You get to snack on some roasted nuts, and he gets to... starve to death?
So yeah, great moral. Really disappointed with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2010
Josephina shows off her cleverness in this short story by raiding a squirrel's hoard of pinon nuts in order to collect more nuts than her father and sisters so that she can impress Tia Dolores with her usefulness. The pastry recipe at the end sounds delicious, though I know I'll never actually make it, and the historical note is as fascinating as ever. I like Josephina's sisters, and would have liked to see more of them, though with only 29 small pages and large text, I understand why their appearances had to be brief. I do wonder where Ana's husband was though. Since gathering pinon nuts is so important to the rancho, I would have expected everyone to go along and help out. I also liked that in her attempt to win her Papa’s prize, Josephina let the prize get stolen by a squirrel – only to steal from the squirrel in return. But of course, Tia Dolores’s regard is better than some sugar treat.
October 2, 2024
This one is all about the power of younger children! Papa and Tia Dolores are rude and don't let Josefina and Juan partake in the gathering of nuts (which even has a reward for finding the most!) They are delegated to watching the lunch because they're the littlest. They then show everyone up by finding a tree full of nuts.
I always felt Ana's children (and non-existent husband) didn't appear enough in the main series, so it's nice that Josefina teams up with Juan here. The short stories are good opportunities to let background characters shine. My only gripe is that I don't like how Josefina's whole motivation in the beginning is to impress Tia Dolores. I really, really want Ana or Francisca's POV on her. I wonder if everyone worships her as much as Josefina and Papa do.
I always felt Ana's children (and non-existent husband) didn't appear enough in the main series, so it's nice that Josefina teams up with Juan here. The short stories are good opportunities to let background characters shine. My only gripe is that I don't like how Josefina's whole motivation in the beginning is to impress Tia Dolores. I really, really want Ana or Francisca's POV on her. I wonder if everyone worships her as much as Josefina and Papa do.
July 27, 2014
The Montoya's are going out to collect pinon nuts, a delicious treat to enjoy and sell, Josefina wants to join in the collecting and win the prize her father has offered to whoever can collect the most nuts, but she must stay with her nephew and watch the camp. Can Josefina find a way to take care of her duty and also help in collecting the nuts?
In each of these American girl short story books you get a looking back section with fun historical information and craft, recipe, game or dance to learn that is from the time the story is set in. In this book there is a recipe for a Pastel, or a pinon nut pie.
In each of these American girl short story books you get a looking back section with fun historical information and craft, recipe, game or dance to learn that is from the time the story is set in. In this book there is a recipe for a Pastel, or a pinon nut pie.
February 16, 2016
In this little book Josefina wants to get the attention and praise of Tia Dolores. To do so she wants to take part in the gathering of pinon nuts, but her father wants her to stay back and watch their lunch and her nephew.
She proves she's quick-witted, though, when a chance to gather nuts presents itself despite not being able to go with the others. It's a cute story and has a historical section that has information about the food-gathering activities of the people of the times.
She proves she's quick-witted, though, when a chance to gather nuts presents itself despite not being able to go with the others. It's a cute story and has a historical section that has information about the food-gathering activities of the people of the times.
February 17, 2026
this is a really cute short story! josefina and her nephew are put in charge of looking after the lunch when her family go to collect pino nuts for the summer. they’re not too happy with this as they want to be involved and impress their tia dolores, but in the end they find a way to look after the lunch and collect nuts.
March 4, 2015
I read this book.
I like that Josefina and Juan went and got some pine nuts from trees and got the most nuts but didn't get the prize because a chipmunk.
I don't like that one of Ana's boys woke up and to be rocked to sleep.
I like that Josefina and Juan went and got some pine nuts from trees and got the most nuts but didn't get the prize because a chipmunk.
I don't like that one of Ana's boys woke up and to be rocked to sleep.
October 26, 2011
Read in year of publication - short story
January 11, 2014
Josefina uses her head to win a prize for collecting the most pinon nuts. A cute story in the Josefina series.
January 6, 2014
Josephina is one of my most favorite American Girls. She displays initiative and intelligence as she works to show her family how useful and grown she has become.
January 28, 2015
Man, I thought I'd never have to discuss the habits of squirrels THAT much.
November 16, 2015
We need to write a letter to the author about how pleased we were to have Ana nursing her baby who was over a year old.
June 12, 2016
A nice quick story. I love how the books let you learn all different small parts of life. I really want to try piñon nuts now.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews