Growing up in Coal Country

Like I wrote in my last review, I researched a man named Lewis Hine. This book isn't directly related to him, but it was still about child labor. "Growing up in Coal Country is a book about the coal mines across America that children worked in. There were two places the kids worked, "The Breaker" and the mines themselves. In the breaker, the kids would sit on stiff wooden benches with no back, picking out slate from coal on a moving conveyor belt. If a kid fell into the moving belt, they could easily get strangled and die. In the mine, the older boys had many jobs; Gatekeepers, Mule Drivers, Spraggers and "Butty's" A "Butty" is related to the word "Buddy." The "Butty's" would help the miners carry their equipment and most of all keep them company. Working in the mines caused many tragic stories and horrible conditions for children.

What I liked about it:

I liked the realness about it and how it told all the facts from the workers stand-point. Learning about life in the mines was sad, but full of important facts.

What I didn't like:

I didn't like the tragic stories of cave-ins, and fires and horrible deaths. Just taking a break and realizing "This actually happened!" was startling.