Treasure of the World

by Tara Sullivan

A young girl must find a way to help her family survive in a desolate and impoverished Bolivian silver mining community in this eye-opening tale of resilience.

Twelve-year-old Ana wants nothing more than to escape the future set for her and her classmates in her small mining village. Boys her age are beginning to leave school to become silver miners and girls her age are destined to one day be the wives of miners. But when her often ill eleven-year-old brother is forced by their demanding father to start work in the mines, Ana gives up her dreams of school to volunteer in his place. The world of silver mining though is dark and dangerous and the men who work there don't want a girl in their way. Ana must find the courage to not only survive but save her family after the worst happens and a mining accident kills her father and leaves her brother missing

Genres: Middle Grade, Bolivia, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Survival, Contemporary

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2021

About the author

Tara Sullivan is an award-winning author of Young Adult novels that address contemporary human rights issues. Born in India, she spent her childhood in Bangladesh, Ecuador, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic. She received a BA in Spanish literature and cognitive science from the University of Virginia, and a MA/MPA in Latin American studies/nonprofit management from Indiana University. Her debut, GOLDEN BOY, won the 2014 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Award, and was selected as a best book of the year by YALSA, Kirkus Reviews and the Wall Street Journal. Her second novel, THE BITTER SIDE OF SWEET, won the 2017 Children’s Africana Book Award: Honor and was an ALSC Notable Children’s Book of 2017. Tara lives and writes in Massachusetts. Check out her newest book, TREASURE OF THE WORLD, and find out more at: http://www.TaraSullivanBooks.com

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treasure of the World is a contemporary fiction set in the Potosi area of Bolivia with its Cerro Rico mountain. It can be read by middle grade to adult readers. The author was born in India then grew up in several different countries including living in Bolivia between the ages of 5 to 10, before moving to the Dominican Republic.

12yo Ana and her family live and mine silver on the mountain known locally as the Mountain That Eats Men because an estimated 8 million individuals have died there. The family battle excruciating poverty, alcoholism, domestic violence and respiratory diseases. The focus of the book is on child labour: children forced to work in and around the mines to help ease the gruelling hunger of their families. As the book points out there are still three quarters of a million children working in Bolivia, and the legal age a child can commence work is ten years old. Ana herself goes into the mines to try and protect her sickly and fragile brother Daniel from needing to do so. Ana’s dream is to get an education and one day get herself and her family off the mountain.

Her Abuelita reminds her of the legends of their Inca ancestors and teaches Ana that the currency of success and change is not material wealth as the Spanish thought, but hard work.

This was an enjoyable book which was well-written, had relatable characters and taught me something about an area I know very little.

[Rowan :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful, heart-wrenching middle grade novel that will stay with me for a long time.

“Sometimes people that you love can’t stay with you,” he says softly, “but they still love you and they’re still okay.”

This book. This book broke my heart- over and over again. It’s such a special novel- one that I will remember for a long time.
Treasure of the World weaves in powerful lessons about friendship and family and what matters most. Sound cheesy? It’s not. It’s told in a beautiful heartfelt way and I just… it’s beautiful.

The pacing of this book is good. Enough time for world building and introductions but not enough that it’s boring. However, as someone who doesn’t know a lot about Bolivia, some more description would be nice. What kind of resources do they have? How many? I just felt like some more setting/description/introduction was needed. Other than a little more time on that, the pacing was good.

The characters in this novel are done well. Multi-layered and complex, I enjoyed sharing this journey with them. I loved the MC- her boldness and ability to stand up for herself are traits I definitely enjoy reading about- especially in middle grade novels. However, I’m afraid I had one issue… Near the end of the story, our MC, Ana, takes a job. (Details mustn’t be revealed) Her mother gives her dynamite to protect herself (yes I know that sounds crazy trust me) in case men or something come after her. And sure enough, she sees someone, but she just chucks the dynamite at them without trying to figure out who they are. I mean sure, I guess it’s scary to be in the dark with an unknown person, but at least try to figure out who they are! It’s kinda crazy to just throw that murder weapon at someone, leaving them to die, without figuring out who they are. And just leaving someone, no matter who, to die is not at all what the story was about.

I guess you could say I wished for an lgbtq+ person… just one. But no. No lgbtq+ people. And I guess it sort of makes sense for this book: Small mining town heterosexual relationships are necessary for the women to get by, because on there own, they can’t make enough money. oF cOuRsE (🙄) they need a man’s salary. However, I would’ve liked to just see a mention of it, some recognition. Like, “oh this girl was gay but she had to marry boy” or something simple like that.

The plot of this book was well done and exciting. It had me at the edge of my seat biting my nails, hoping with all my heart for these characters. And no matter how much I hoped and begged, this book still broke my heart.

The lessons showed clearly in this book, and I liked that a lot. However, instead of me telling you all those lessons, you go read it and tell me.
This book. Gods, this book.
I suppose I have nothing else to say, so now it’s time for the three questions:

Would I recommend this book?
Absolutely. However, I don’t think non middle grade readers will enjoy it as much, it’s still a very good book which I enjoyed a lot.

If this was a movie, what would I rate it?
PG. However, there’s some slight language (nothing bad) and sadness.

Will I read Tara Sullivan’s other books?I would like to, at some point and see if I liked the other ones as much as I liked this one.

[Jo Reason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quote
“Do you remember I told you they could have built a bridge from here to Spain with the silver they took from this mountain? “
Yes Abuelita, I mumble. “They could have build a bridge twice as long with the bones of those they killed to get it”



Welcome to my Read the World challenge today we are visiting country number 72, Bolivia with the book Treasure of the World by Tara Sulivan.

Although this book could have a very important message to many governments of the world about child poverty and child labour, this novel is a little too dramatic, but then, this is a Young Adult genre, maybe that is what is needed.


It could be recommended to many teenagers to give them an idea on how others live and hopefully give them a reality check that their world isn’t as bad as they think it is although it is a little depressing, not sure they would all stick with it…..

It has a superb cover. Whoever designed this cover has amazing skills.

There is some wonderful writing, rich characters, family, child labour, sacrifice, in an amazing and unique setting Potosi, Bolivia, with it’s Cerro Rico mountain, (which is actually not as rich as it once used to be) Potosi is at 4070 masl, and Cerro Rico at more than 4700 masl, you learn all about living and working at high altitude, breathing problems and the extreme cold.

The setting is well described and detailed, as are the characters and the author describes very well the history of the Cerro starting with the Incas until the present which brings even more the novel to life.

This is a Young Adult genre, but don’t let that put you off, this is a well written novel, about a family in the mining area of Potosi, Bolivia, it will definitely give you a different perspective on life in other parts of the world, and having travelled through Potosi various times throughout my time in South America, I have seen this reality of their life and for me just walking around the town of Potosi was exhausting due to the lack of oxygen, imagine the miners at an even higher altitude working in inhospitable conditions.

This is one of those books you ponder over how it will end, as disaster after disaster strikes while you are reading it which brings me to only one complaint, it was a little too dramatic and it is a little depressing, but it does have a happy but a little abrupt ending.

I have read many books in this read the world challenge with difficult subjects, (check out my playlist of Lectura de Los Inocentes here, the majority of them are historical fiction, you are reading all about the past, there is nothing you can do about it, but this one is different, this is the present and the reality of many of families in the mining area of Potosi.

I am giving this book 4 stars.
The next country in the read the world challenge is Iran, See you in the next country.

[Kadi P]

(Recommended by Dragons*☆4Ever)

[Nico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely eye opening, heart rending, and somehow uplifting by the end. You think of children working in mines being a story of hundreds of years past, not present day still happening. Will definitely recommend for kids to get a glimpse of other's truths.

[Amy Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart wrenching and gripping middle grades novel that follows 12 year old Ana, the daughter of a Bolivian miner, living in incredibly harsh conditions and unforgiving circumstances. Despite tremendous adversity, Ana’s story celebrates the resilience of her spirit and the strength of her community. While realistic and full of despair, nothing portrayed is too egregious for a middle grades reader. The author’s commitment to raw honesty are apparent in each aspect of Ana’s story as it unfolds.

[Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

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While the premise of this story was great, it feel short for me. I needed more development from the characters

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoping to escape the harsh labor that binds her Bolivian mining village to the mountain called Cerro Rico, 12-year-old Ana risks life and soul to unchain herself and her family.

[Wina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this picture of life in the mining area of Bolivia for ages 10-13. This book was well-written and engrossing, with a focus on poverty, child labor, and the role of women and girls (still very traditional). The main character, Ana, is very real and lovable. It is heart-wrenching and tragic, all too true, and finally ends on a hopeful note. There is a long author's note that delves into the sad truth of the situation in Bolivia, with some stats for child labor around the world. I would have given this book more stars, but it is too long. Such a long slog through terrible thing after terrible thing. However, it did give me a taste of what it's like for people who live this reality. I don't know if a 10-13 year-old would stick with it, though, because it really dragged my mood down.

[Jan Raspen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love when I learn new things about the world from reading children's books. I had no idea about the mineral mines in Bolivia, the lives of the families who work in and around those mines, and the abject poverty they live in. I am a better person for knowing about these things now, for that I am sure.
However, this book took me a LONG time to read. It was a slog to get through, and I just don't know how many of my middle schoolers will be able to sustain their interest that long. I will try to sell it to the kids, but I do not have high hopes.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's abundantly clear that author Tara Sullivan did her homework in researching this book. This shows in the language she uses in telling her story, the characters she introduces, and the powerful descriptions of what it's like to work in a mine in Cerro Rico [known locally as the Mountain That Eats Men because an estimated 8 million individuals have died there] in Bolivia while clinging to life and hope for a brighter future. Twelve-year-old Ana and her brother Daniel are among the oldest students at the local school, and Ana is painfully aware that her days of schooling may come to an end soon, either through some sort of physical labor or through marriage, but she resists both futures. Still, she and her brother spend hours each day after school doing the work of a palliri like their mother and grandmother, breaking apart rocks in search of mineral traces that can be sold. When their father insists that Daniel must help in the mine because the family is struggling to make ends meet, Ana worries about him since his lungs are already weak, and conditions in the mine will exacerbate his breathing problems. Daniel doesn't last long in the mine, and while he recovers, Ana volunteers to take his place, which causes a stir among many of the workers who superstitiously believe that the presence of a girl in the mines is unlucky and will offend the devil inside the mountain. She hates and fears everything about working underground, and the author really excels in describing those feelings and her experiences. But she loves her brother enough to temporarily set aside her dreams of an education, telling herself that she will return to school as soon as she can. When Daniel is well enough to return to the mine, a cave-in causes the death of his father and Daniel's disappearance. The family goes further into debt to pay for the funeral costs, and Ana resolves to search the mine to find Daniel or his body. She becomes disoriented and is stuck inside for days until a young passerby hears her cries for help. This rescue leads to glimpses of other ways of living and other possibilities, but once Ana returns home, she finds even more challenges as Don Caesar, the mine supervisor who has befriended their family, is ill will silicosis. Despite the family's bleak economic situation and the challenges of living on the side of a mountain, there are moments of joy and Abuelita's constant stories about the Incas from whom they are descended and their own proud history that serve as reminders of life's possibilities. Ana is a strong, determined young girl who refuses to be limited by others' expectations or her own plight, and while the ending is a bit abrupt, her story serves as inspiration for others in similar situations or for whom the future seems incredibly bleak.

[* · Rating 4 out of 5]

✧･ﾟ:*𝕋𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 *:･ﾟ✧
4.5 Stars
Twelve year old Ana, lives in Bolivia, near a mountain that slowly kills almost all the people who enter it. Ana's younger brother Daniel gets sick very easily and when he does it can turn deadly. It's hard for him to breathe the thin air where they live, and to make matters worse Ana's father forces his son to start working in the mines. When Daniel falls ill, Ana takes his place and works at the mine. But disaster strikes her brother goes missing, and many of her loved ones die. A heartfelt, poignant, and beautiful but true portrayal of the difficulties of child labor.


𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥. Treasure of the World was a really powerful book, and it was such an eye-opener. I thought I knew a lot about child labor from the studies we sometimes did at school, but I didn't know enough. Tara Sullivan does a really amazing job at researching for this book. From the characters, to the situations, to the writing, it was equal parts terrifying and enlightening. Terrifying; because I had no idea what was going to happen to the characters. And enlightening; because of the amazing lessons and information that this story tells. Ana was so easy to like and instantly root for. Her flaws made her more humane. While her good qualities made her likeable. She was the perfect balance of everything. Her reactions to problems were realistic and very relatable. Ana experiences so much pain, and her journey is really amazing. The characters, all experience their own growth. Although Ana is our protagonist, each character even the side characters; are given a lot of time to masterfully develop and go through their own journey.

The plot was absolutely amazing. It had so much information but delivered it smoothly. It's atmospheric, transporting the reader to the mines in Bolivia. It is painful, but filled with both anguish and happiness. Everything about it is believable; the agony, the happiness that Ana feels, brings the reader on her emotional, journey as well. Ana was a very transparent character; she was really easy to connect to on a deeper level. I was able to easily perceive her emotions and thoughts, and connect with her on a deeper level. This book has left me utterly awe-struck. The level of thought-provoking rhetorical questions, the feelings, the emotional and physical journey that Ana goes through; a sincere book that delivers an important lesson as well as tackling an important subject.
✅PLOT
✅CHARACTERS

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treasure of the World by Tara Sullivan takes readers on a whirlwind journey to Potosí Bolivia. The novel fixes a revelatory focus on the crushing generational poverty of Cerro Rico’s mining community and the historical inequities its people endure. Although a fictional narrative, Sullivan imbues Ana’s story with historical truths and modern relevance. These elements propel the narrative’s emotional arc and will certainly make the reader eager to learn more about the Mountain That Eats Men’s history, both past and present. The author’s extensive research provides a rich backdrop for this tale, but the overall story loses its force due to the limited portrayal of its main character. It is promising Sullivan’s narrative centers the perspective of its indigenous and poverty-stricken main character, Ana, but Sullivan’s undoubtedly limited understanding of that experience can only constrain the presentation of that perspective. The voice is worth hearing, but Sullivan’s fails to fully capture its complexity or convey its humanity. Even so, Treasure of the World is still heart-pounding and heart-breaking. Above all, it brings much needed attention to danger and destitution experienced by Cerro Rico’s youngest and most vulnerable inhabitants.

Treasure of the World offers educators myriad avenues to explore in the classroom. As a window into the lives of young people in another part of the world, the novel can easily find its place among other, similarly-themed narratives in a literature circle . It is also useful as a core text for exploring the history of the region as far back as the Incan Empire. Treasure of the World contains all the elements for classroom exploration but whether they effectively work in concert for students would require more intensive planning and preparation than most other novels to tie all those elements together.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for an eARC of this book.

[Lots_to_do · Rating 4 out of 5]

🇧🇴💙TREASURE OF THE WORLD💙⛏ (4.5 stars)

I’ve been dying to read a good historical fiction, and this one definitely takes the spot!
Tara Sullivan weaves great history of child labour in Bolivia throughout the book, and you can really view the real-life traumatic events that happened to her characters. What I love about Tara Sullivan’s writing is that every character is vital to the story. It’s not like she fills the book with a random character that only appears twice throughout the book and then “magically” disappears. I love the contemporary take on child labour that she has written.

The characters in these books are I depth, and have a lot of layers. I love how she gradually uncovers these layers to demonstrate all aspects of life when working in the mines, we have Victor who lost everything, and ended up fighting and drinking, but who gradually got responsible and practical. Then we have Ana’s papi, who mined for metal for income, and had the mine take his life. We also have Anal who had practically no choice, but to throw herself into child labour, so that her family could survive. We have Bénan who’s a little girl with big dreams of being a doctor, yet everyone knew she would grow out of it, and Cesar, who married Ana’s Mami just so that he could pay the treatment for Daniel. Lastly, we have Daniel, who suffers with asthma, yet is forced to work to make ends meet. In this story, it shows that you sometimes have to do whatever you can do to survive, which is a troubling yet truthful topic.

When I read this book, Tara Sullivan truly opened my eyes to the hard, poignant truth of child labour. It’s absolutely horrifying. I appreciate how Tara Sullivan is advocating for these issues in our current society.

Thank you Tara Sullivan for writing such an eye-opening and captivating story.

[Iris ⋆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know how hard it is to write a book, so I'm going to give some constructive criticism here, rather than being an idiot who points out every little mistake.

Things I liked that were done well

1. The writing style. The words flowed easily together and looked neat enough while not being too perfect.

2. The story. It was a very creative idea, and probably would've gotten 3 or 4 stars if some things were different. It definitely pulled me in.

Things I disliked that I think could have been different

1. The length. It had big potential for me, however I got to about 50 pages and was getting tired of how long it was stretching out. It was good but definitely needed some more action to PULL readers into the story. {I ended up skimming through 30 pages at once because I wanted to get to the end}

2. The emotion. I could see the vision, and how Papi was abusive. Heartbreaking, but not really giving me a feeling. I read a book called 'A glasshouse of stars' and the family dynamics and emotion there made me sad and happy at the same time. This was decent but could've been better.


Things that were meh, could've been better but were okay.

1. Basically just the setting. I could vividly picture the characters most of the time, despite little description. However, I think that the scenery could be improved. The school felt a little bland, though I understand that as it's meant to be, and everything kinda was.. plain?

I definitely think this is a good book for some people, no, I know it's a good book for some people because these reviews are all praising this work — which is good! it means the author is doing well, I couldn't find a single negative review. It's just not for me.

[Rubi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that felt real

I've never read about this country before. Bolivia is a country surrounded by five other countries in South America. So it made sense that Ana's people held on to some Incan believes and legends.
Ana's family is impoverished and working the mines is the only option for their men. It's a dangerous job and affects their health but they see no other way.
To protect her brother, Ana volunteer to do a boys job. She is not thanked, by anyone.
It's heartbreaking to see how the women were treated, how the children were forced to leave school and work, how altitudes and poisonous fumes affected their health, and how easily death came. And yet, this is the reality of many people in poorer countries.
Ana's life was so hard and yet her family held on to each other. Especially after tragedy befell and Ana's life changed overnight.
She was so resilient, hardworking, strong and smart. What a brave girl. I loved how her character developed and how she patiently spoke with adults to hear her out. By the end Ana was ready to stay in her old town to help others learn that they too can dream! It was beautiful!
Ana was very close to her brother, mother and grandma. They're relationships were so well written and complex and full of emotions. Must read more by this author!
Loved exploring a new country, even if it was only within the pages of a book 😊

[Dan Allbery · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the Mountain that Eats Men, hope is a tree from which life slowly snaps off all the branches: it dies a little at a time, year by year, piece by tiny piece.

Ana and her family live up high on Cerro Rico, a mountain in Bolivia. Her father is a miner, a job that slowly eats away at people—it steals their dreams, it steals their health. But that is life. It is expected that her brother will grow up to become a miner and Ana will grow up to be a miner's wife. However, health complications and a series of accidents will forever alter Ana and her family's lives.

My GR 6 students recently completed a reading audit; they analyze what/who they have read and not read this year. Like always, I complete an audit myself and discovered (yet again) that I have read books from all over the world, but not Latin America. This is the second time this has happened. Two years ago I read Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez, a book set in Argentina, and loved it. However, I didn't fall equally in love with Sullivan's book. It is definitely well-written and shines a light on a sometimes forgotten corner of the world. I just struggle to see MG/YA readers give the time for this book, which saddens me. It should be read, but I just think it would be passed on by many of my students. Recommended for GR 6-8, especially those in Latin America.

[Pat Trattles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story that should be on every reading list from middle grade to adult. Twelve-year-old Ana and her family live in abject poverty in the Bolivian mountains. Ana’s father, like all the other men in the area works in the Cerro Ricco silver mines. Each day after school Ana joins her mother, grandmother and other village women breaking rocks as they search for small bits of ore they might sell to bring in a little extra money to supplement meager mining wages. It’s hard work and yields little reward. All too soon Ana’s father forces her brother Daniel to quit school and go to work in the mines. Daniel, who has asthma only lasts two days before he becomes gravely ill and Ana volunteers to take his place. She works in the mine until her father feels Daniel is well enough to return. No one like the idea of a female mine worker, especially the other miners who believe Ana will only bring bad luck. Their fears are apparently realized when she is blamed for a subsequent cave in at the mine. This story of poverty, family, hardship and endurance is a must read. Thanks to netgalley for giving me a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, amazing

I believe in Tara Sullivan!

My initial impression of this story was, hm, boring. Mining? In Columbia? Child labor? People who have less than nothing? Even the cover seemed dark and brooding, with little adventure and a whole lot of rocks.

But Tara Sullivan is one of my favorite authors. She doesn’t crank out books like some machine, and when she tells a story, I have learned it is worth listening (or reading, to be more accurate). And so I came to wonder what Ana would do to help her family, her schoolmates and friends survive this desolate landscape. I was curious to see how far she would stretch herself, what dangers she might face, and what parts of herself would emerge at the end of the book (would she have all her appendages? Family members? Dreams and ambitions? Health?).

And then I googled Potosí and the Cerro Rico, and it seemed like Ana’s story was very possibly completely true. The research that Sullivan does, the facts that she imparts as part of her fictional stories, the impact of giving people like Ana the opportunity to be center-stage in all of their struggle and strength — it is incredible.

Read, read, read!

[Regina Hiney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is beautifully told. The setting is well defined and full of authentic imagery. The characters are mostly well rounded, dynamic, and believable. But I give it 3 and 1/2 stars as I think the voice and the dialogue were both forced and stilted. The author would do well to research body language and incorporate that into her storytelling. "Show, don't tell." I found the voice of the protagonist and some of the minor characters simply not authentic. The words spoken seem not to be those of isolated, ill educated indigenous people from Bolivia, but the conversations one might hear at a Starbucks in any college town. Some misandry, agnostic religious views, political discussions by the uneducated downtrodden who speak articulately with statistics and dates, judgments by the protagonist (who suffers literal hunger and extreme poverty) regarding her step-sister's pink frilly dress were not only inauthentic, unbelievable, it was something, a trite rich American would prattle about. Finally, by using "super" as an adverb twice and for the dialogue, parts of this book had the effect of an off sharp note in an otherwise beautiful arrangement.

[Dotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tara Sullivan is by go-to author for social justice books and I was excited to read this one. Treasure of the World was a 4 star for me until I read the author notes and it swiftly became a 5 star. True confessions, I'm not a fan of dreams in books, thus the 4 star. There aren't a lot of them but just enough to activate my personal preferences. But the rest of the book and especially the author notes got me over my pet peeve.

The writing was intense, graphic and had me gasping for breath at time. I am not comfortable in caves, a bit claustrophobic and there were times my heart was racing to move to more comfortable text.

I had thought of child labor solely in the forced-labor-child-trafficking lense. Treasure of the World opened a new reality to me. The author notes put flesh and blood on the fictional text and will keep these other realities influence my personal choices forever. So much to think about, especially how I benefit from the suffering of others. It's way past time to find ways to change these practices in our world.

[Emily Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! I have never read much about mining life or Bolivia, but now I am so intrigued.

Ana lives on on a mountain in Bolivia with her family in a mining community. Mining life is hard and Ana and her family live through many tragedies and hard times. She tries to help her family as much as she can while holding on to her dream of a better life in the future. The mountain is a cruel place to grow up. Life is hard and sad and most kids leave school to go work in the mines or to make money to help support their families. Through all of it, Ana learns how to hold on to her dreams and still be supportive of her family and community. This was just an all around incredible book that didn’t dance around the hardships of mining life, or life in general, but kept the hope of Ana and those around her going.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy!

[frogreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

🆃🆁🅴🅰🆂🆄🆁🅴 🅾🅵 🆃🅷🅴 🆆🅾🆁🅻🅳
Rating:5 stars
This book was a heartbreaking, realistic, and impactful survival story of a 12 year old girl who struggles to help her family in their time of need. In the beginning of this book, I thought it was okay. I didn't love the main protagonist, but overtime the plot developed and deepened. I felt so bad for all those who were struggling, for the children doing hard labor. Anna was a very strong character who had to endure so much. I liked the action in this story and it's insightful look at poverty, circumstances, and family. This book was filled with so much love and hope. The plot was fast-paced and was ultimately realistic. It was sad to see how drastically their lives changed because of one choice. I liked how the characters had to work through their struggles and grew stronger through them. The ending was satisfying and so perfect! I was rooting for all the characters, and the ending was purely satisfying, fast-forwarding years later to a simple, yet wonderful scene of their peace. A simple but heart-warming scene showing how far Anna had come as a person because she had chose to fight for what she wanted.

[Bexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intense story from the first page. Ana lives in the mountains of Bolivia where her father works in the mines and her mother and grandmother break rocks hoping for ore. Her brother is sickly and has constant lung issues, and Ana just dreams of a day where she can see grass and her father doesn't drink their money away. Her brother is taken to the mines with their father because he's going to be a man. Except he gets sick, and so Ana takes his place. She does a great job, but many of the miners grumble as the legend is the god of the mountain doesn't allow women. A wrong explosion causes the death of her father and her brother disappeared. Ana struggles to find her brother and then to help the new family they create. The book has such a beautiful atmosphere but an ominous tone that hangs over it. The ending is hopeful and celebrates found families. An impressive novel.

[Brittany Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ana lives high in the Andes mountains in Bolivia with her brother, parents, and grandmother. She lives on “the mountain that eats men”. Her family, just like all the others around her, is a mining family. Ana knows that it is only a matter of time before her brother, Daniel, will leave school to work in the mines with her father. Ana would do anything to take his place - but as her grandmother has told her time and time again, the mountain will punish everyone if a girl goes into the mine. So, when her brother falls ill and Ana has no choice but to mine, what will happen? This story has so many lessons surrounding gender roles, poverty, the power of education, child labor, and family. It’s a story that is not often told and I loved the window into this world.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. From page one I was intrigued by and immersed in the culture of mining and childhood in Bolivia. The protagonist, a 12yo girl named Ana, is endearing and brave. I wanted so much more for her. I wanted more than she dared to dream of, and her humility reduced me to tears in the end. There is wonderful information at the end of the story as well. The author has shared her inspirations and her research opening up worlds unknown to me. While I found both the reality and the story heart-breaking, I am glad to have read the book, and I am glad to know the harsh truths it holds. I highly recommend!

[Donna Dobihal Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully written, captivating story addressing poverty in Bolivia and child labor, specifically the dangerous job of mining, is a book that should be on the shelf of every public and school library. An eye-opening account of one girl's drive to get off the mountain and make a better life for herself, this inspirational story is one readers won't soon forget - if ever. Although there are some dark issues, for older children this would make an excellent book club choice for both genders. Highly recommended.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich, riveting, insightful novel set in an impoverished Bolivian mining community. Twelve-year-old Ana wants only to escape her small mining village, but she is forced by her father to work in the mines as a repalcement for her often ill eleven-year-old brother. Ana experiences the worst that can happen in the dark, dangerous world of silver mining when an accident kills her father and leaves her brother missing. Ana's resilience and determination to escape her cirucmstances is one bright light in an otherwise dark, compelling story.

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love finding books that introduce and awaken me to issues that I should be informed about, but didn’t know about. Iknew that poor children are often put to work in dangerous jobs, usually for the benefit of the rich. But this book also talked about the history of mining in Bolivia and the history of the Inca peoples. Both of those were new to me. This book is quite long so I think it would be best enjoyed by older middle school students.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

Though anything but a light read, this book was wonderful. The story of a Bolivian girl living high above the tree line in the Andes, this book tells of the struggle so many families experience working in mines, and watching their loved ones fade before them. The storytelling is well crafted, and Ana is indeed the heroine in the story. I look forward to reading more by Tara Sullivan.