1. Pick an incident in the book that you liked and read it to the class. Describe why this incident is important to you.

2. The photographs are an important part of this work. What does the photograph on page 96 tell us about life in "Coal Country"? Pick another photograph from the work and describe what it tells the reader about life in "Coal Country."

3. Some books make the reader feel sad, and other books make the reader feel happy, angry, or excited. How did this book make you feel overall? State your reasons using examples from the book.

4. "Many a time I cried with the pain [from picking slate], but yet when the whistle blew for quitting time in the evening, I was as happy as a king to know I had finished another day and added another quarter to my pay to help support...