Thomas is an orphan forced to work in the coalmines, accompanied by his dog Finder. The hard work and dangers of coal mining are brought to life in this story. Bibliography.

FINDER: COAL MINE DOG by Alison Hart is the latest in the DOG CHRONICLES historical fiction series.

Set in 1909, young Thomas is forced to go to work in the coal mines to help support his family. Thomas takes his dog named Finder into the mines to help pull carts in the mine. When a mining accident traps Thomas and others in the mine, Finder leads them to safety.

Told from Finder’s perspective, the simple narrative is reminiscent of children’s books from the past. The pencil sketches add interest to the story.

Designed for the middle grades, librarians will find lots of curriculum connections including child labor, mining hazards, and black lung disease. The book includes diagrams of the coal mine as well as details about the history associated with the story’s themes.

Children who enjoy dog stories may also like the other books in this series including Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I and Murphy: Gold Rush Dog. Ranger in Time by Kate Messner is another recent historical fiction series featuring dogs for middle grade readers.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.alisonhartbooks.com/.

Published by Peachtree Publishers on October 1, 2015. ARC courtesy of the publisher. ( )