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. ( )