I like the American Girls mystery series, possibly because they are well written, but maybe a bit because the basic set of six books create a wonderful set of characters, and the challenges given these girls is age appropriate, (although it may not seem so to modern audiences)yet interesting. I love that Josephina's sisters are jealous of the time she puts in training to be a curandera, and also the story of La Llorona is a real ghost story from the area. Well done again Pleasant Company! ( )

Josefina has heard tales and legends all her life: rumors of gold and silver buried in the hills, stories of a ghostly Weeping Woman who haunts the countryside. But she never imagined theses tales might be true… until the day a mysterious stranger arrives at her rancho. ( )

Josefina's trying hard to become a curandera, but she's worried that she can not help her sister, an old woman, or the mysterious man who appears. Josefina pieces together parts of a mystery, helps all three, and even helps a friend's cousin, who had been taken by the Navajo for several years to find peace with Teresita, her own servant. She discovers that knowing remedies isn't enough- she must use her heart to figure out how to help people. ( )