Elaine F. O'Brien

"Anita of Rancho Del Mar" is a novel with an 1830's California setting. Anita Lorenzana is the adventurous twelve year-old daughter of a Ventura County ranchero. Author Elaine E. O'Brien did a great job with the "historical" part of this historical fiction book. She included the names of actual Spanish land grant families of the era including the De la Guerra, Lopez, and Bandini families. She also seamlessly included descriptions of the culture of the time. Among other facts, readers will learn about the jobs that the sons, daughters, and Indian servants of a ranchero might have had, the kinds of dances, games, songs, and clothing would have appeared at a party, and the common foods and medicines a ranchero family would have consumed. O'Brien also addressed the connections between rancheros and the Spanish mission priests, the Chumash, and the recently arriving Yankee traders. This book will help readers absorb historical information about an often overlooked time in California history without reading a dry textbook. The "fiction" part of this historical fiction book is where some readers may believe O'Brien ran into a little trouble. The characters are not well developed and readers may at times think "Yeah, right" when Anita once again saves the day by finding gold, overhearing important secret conversations, or scaring away a mountain lion. O'Brien italicized Spanish words and included a glossary for them at the end of the book. Some readers may appreciate this and others may find it annoying, preferring to just figure out the word from the context. Each chapter in the book begins with a helpful black and white illustration by Francine Rudesill. Even though flawed, "Anita of Rancho Del Mar" is a very worthwhile book to include in a children's library of California history books.… (altro)