Legend of Freedom Hill

I am a fourth grade teacher in California where the social studies curriculum centers on the study of California. I was attracted to the book because of its multicultural theme and beautiful illustrations. I used it as a read aloud in class with some heavily guided discussion where the book falls off. It needs some expansion on why these two girls and their families might have been seen as outsiders in the town. The solution seems to come a little too easily to these minority girls in an era where prejudice and discrimination ruled the mining towns. It did envoke a good discussion amongst my students about the likelihood of such a conclusion. The book did a good job of showing certain mining techniques and vocabulary which reinforces our curriculum nicely. I recommend using it class, but just steer the conversation towards the weaknesses in the book to be really effective.