
Helen Hunt Jackson's classic 1884 novel, Ramona, tells the poignant story of a Scottish-Native American orphan girl, Ramona, raised in luxury by her Mexican foster mother, Señora Moreno. When Ramona falls in love with Alessandro, a noble Native American sheep shearer, their forbidden romance leads them on a harrowing journey across Southern California. The novel vividly portrays the immense prejudice and injustice faced by Native Americans and Mexicans in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War, as American settlers encroach upon their lands. While a deeply romantic tale, it also serves as a powerful social commentary on displacement, cultural identity, and the tragic consequences of unchecked greed and discrimination. It's suitable for mature middle schoolers and high schoolers ready for a long, immersive historical narrative with significant emotional depth.
The absurdity and tragedy of prejudice is illustrated in this classic tale, set in Old California, of Ramona, a young Spanish-American orphan girl and her love for the Native American Alessandro. Reissue.