SOLVED. Children Abducted to be Miners. [s]

[John]

This is a YA book I read very young, likely in the early 1970s. It may have been part of a monthly book club my grandmother signed me up for.

In the book various children have been kidnapped into a place where they are forced to work as, I think, miners. The one plot detail I remember clearly is that by collecting the ore (or whatever it is they are collecting) they can buy things at the company store including, potentially, a dog or a cart.

Yes, none of this plot makes sense if you look at it with adult eyes, but I do remember I liked it a lot around age 7.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Jexium Island?

"It's about children taken to an island and forced to mine jexium" says one reviewer.

Kirkus review:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

[John]

That sounds very probable. Thanks.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

You're welcome.