Secrets in the House of Delgado
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Parent Guide
Eleven-year-old Maria Sanchez’s entire family died in an epidemic in Spain in 1492 and now she is completely alone in the world. Her priest, Fra Adolfo, finds her a position as a lady's maid for the impetuous and friendly Angelica, beloved daughter of the Delgado family. Maria is expected to carefully observe and report any signs of Jewish ritual in the Delgado home to Fra Adolfo. (Since the Delgado family became Conversos over one hundred years earlier, when they were forcibly converted to Christianity, the Church suspects them of not being “true” Catholics.) The Delgado family treats Maria kindly and she begins to develop romantic feelings for Angelica's older brother, Juan Pablo. When Juan Pablo becomes betrothed to someone else, Maria denounces the family to Fra Adolfo, but later regrets her actions and helps the family escape Spain and the Inquisition.
Parent Guide
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The book not only has likable characters, but I also learned many facts about Jewish history- this i
The book "Secrets in the House of Delgado" by Gloria D. Miklowitz is quite an amazing novel. This historical fiction read is based in Spain in the 1490s. During this time, many Jews were either forced to leave Spain or forced to convert to Christianity. As this all was happening, the main character Maria, loses all of her family to sickness. She was sent to the Delgados' mansion by the priest to act as a servant to the eleven year old daughter. The Delgado family were Conversos, meaning they had converted from being Jews. Many people said they converted, but practiced Judaism in secrecy. This was not allowed and people were sadly killed as a result. Was the Delgado family Conversos? Should Maria tell the priest of this? Find out when you read the book Secrets in the House of Delgado.