From her family's New Mexican rancho comes the story of Josefina Montoya. She's trying to preserve what is precious after her mother's passing. When her mother's sister comes to live with Josefina's family, she is overjoyed. But Josefina must learn how to remain faithful to the old ways while helping her sisters and father open up to new ones.

Meet Josefina Montoya, a nine-year-old girl growing up in New Mexico in 1824. Josefina and her sisters have been struggling ever since Mamá died a year ago. When Mamá's sister, Tía Dolores, comes to live on their rancho, the girls are overjoyed. But Tía Dolores has lots of new ideas! She starts a family weaving business. And she teaches the girls to read, something Mamá never learned to do. Josefina worries that all of Tía Dolores's changes...

Josefina hopes to become a "curandera" or healer like Tía Magdalena, and she is tested just before her tenth birthday when a friend receives a potentially fatal snakebite.

Josefina and her sisters distrust learning to read and write, as well as other changes their Tía Dolores is bringing to the household, because they fear they will lose their memories of their mother.

Josefina hopes to become a "curandera" or healer like Tía Magdalena, and she is tested just before her tenth birthday when a friend receives a potentially fatal snakebite.