On a wagon headed west Faith wants to bring her pet hen, Josefina. Pa says NO- “She’s too old to lay eggs, and too tough to eat.” None of the neighbors want Josefina, what will happen to her if they leave her behind?

Josefina Story Quilt by Eleanor Coerr, with pictures by Bruce Degen

The family is loading their wagon with all their important and necessary belongings for their move to California. Faith just can’t bear to leave Josefina behind; she has raised her since she was a little chick. Pa finally relents, but tells her that at the first sign of trouble “OUT SHE GOES”!

The first night on the trail a dog goes after Josefina who squawks and then runs away – it almost causes a stampede! Ma intercedes and because the dog started it Josefina is grated a reprieve.

The trip goes on and on and one day while fording a river Josefina falls out of the wagon and starts to float down stream. Faith’s brother Adam jumps in to save her.

Josefina has a surprise for them – she lays an egg!

Josefina saves the day when some robbers sneak into the camp and try to steal ma’s quilts.

Every day Faith has been working with fabric from the scrap bag as she makes blocks that remind her of parts of the journey, in the end she is able to remember happenings and sights along the way by the blocks on her quilt.

The Josefina Story Quilt is Level 3 “An I Can Read Book” Grades 2-4

MY FIRST I Can Read Books – PreSchool
• simple concepts and storied, told in familiar, easy-to-recognize words for the emergent reader

Level 1 I Can Read Books – PreS – Grade 1
• short, simple stories for the early reader

Level 2 I Can Read Books Grades 1-3
• high interest stories with longer plots and language for the independent reader

Level 3 I Can Read Books Grades 2-4
• short chapters and more complicated plots for the newly independent reader

I Can Read Books Chapter Books – Grades 3 & up
• more challenging chapters for the fully independent reader

Josefina Story Quilt


Josefina Story Quilt- Spanish edition