by Mary Cronk Farrell
Book list Gr. 5-8. Bookish Mick O'Shea dreams of college and a career in journalism; he has no desire to follow Da into the mines in turn-of-the-century Idaho. Then Da is imprisoned for his union activities; Mam dies in childbirth; and the rent collector demands full payment, forcing Mick to swallow his pride and sign on as scab labor mining silver. Based on actual events, Farrell's first novel fairly brims with details and mining history. Although the O'Sheas seem to suffer every tragedy short of potato famine, and the stereotype of the short-tempered, abusive Irish male is a bit overdrawn, Farrell's characters and their motivations ring true, and the ending leaves hope that things will improve not only for Mick but for everyone. A good choice for historical fiction buffs and readers studying the mining industry and labor unions. --Kay Weisman Copyright 2004 Booklist From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. School Library Journal Gr 4-8-An adventure based on an incident that took place in Idaho in 1899. Mick is adamant that he won't work in the mines like his father. At first, he simply tries to keep his chances going for further education, but then the friction between the workers and the mine owners becomes more urgent and the escalating violence in the community leaves Mick more and more critical to the survival of his family. Characters seem somewhat stock at first with the domineering dad; the loving but ineffectual mother; the evil foreman; and the kindly newspaper editor. The realities of the labor dispute include the power of the government support of the mine owner juxtaposed with the cocky stridence of the workers and their mistakes along the way. Not quite up to the standard of Kristine L. Franklin's Grape Thief (Candlewick, 2003) in terms of historical richness and character detail, this novel is still a gripping tale of survival that uses its historical background to add depth and drama.-Carol A. Edwards, Douglas County Libraries, Castle Rock, CO (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. (c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Horn Book In 1899, Mick doesn't plan on being a silver miner like his father, but he gets caught up, against his will, in the violent standoff between his father's union and Idaho's Bunker Hill and Sullivan Mining Company. Despite mostly stock characters, the gritty saga, inspired by real events, compels readers to care about Mick and the other unjustly imprisoned union members and sympathizers. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved. (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Kirkus With his mother dead, his father imprisoned, and rent due, 14-year-old Mick must take responsibility for his family. But does this mean giving up his dream of college and becoming a newspaperman? Is he betraying his unionist father by taking a job in the mines as a non-union worker? Set in Idaho during the 1899 Coeur d'Alene mine disputes, when radicals blew up the ore-concentrating mill and Federal troops responded with mass arrests, Farrell's debut follows Mick as he works the mine, engineers a rescue of his father, and finds his own path in life. Fictional newspaper articles by Mick's mentor Mr. Delaney and a good author's note contribute historical and legal context for this story of family, dreams, and an important segment of American history. (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |
