Digging a Hole to Heaven: Coal Miner Boys

Gr 4–6—This illustrated title explores 19th-century coal mines, combining features of both historical fiction and informational texts. The book brings readers into the world of fictional Conall, a 12-year-old coal miner. Mines employed boys as young as eight to separate coal from useless rock or to run beside rolling coal cars and jam sprags (thick sticks) into the wheels to stop them (the cars had no brakes.) The work was dark, dirty, and dangerous. Preteens worked as mule drivers, trapper boys, and spraggers. Daily life underground is depicted through Conall's story: his work, his family, and his role in a heroic rescue after a cave-in. The narrative comes alive with colorful descriptions, such as stout timbers that groan and a "massive mountain…forever leaning in upon itself." Beautiful textured paintings rendered in the style of 19th-century Plains Indian drawings, with acrylic on wood panels, accompany the narrative. Numerous sidebars and archival photographs ground the story in the real world. A comprehensive author's note adds context with information about the Industrial Revolution, child labor, mining disasters, and the future of coal in the global environment. The back matter adds further depth. Consider pairing this title with Michael Burgan's Breaker Boys: How a Photograph Helped End Child Labor (Compass Point, 2011) or Kashmira Sheth's compelling Boys Without Names (S. & S., 2010), a first-person narrative about child sweatshop workers in modern India. A strong, vivid look at child labor issues.—Toby Rajput, National Louis University, Skokie, IL