A Coal Miner's Bride

Reach for this book when your child is facing a sudden, unwanted change or struggling with the weight of adult expectations. This diary-style novel follows Anetka, a young Polish girl who is sent to America to marry a coal miner she has never met. It is a powerful exploration of how a young person maintains their sense of self when their agency is stripped away by circumstance and family duty. Anetka's journey through the Pennsylvania coal mines of the 1890s touches on themes of resilience, the harsh reality of labor injustice, and the search for belonging in a foreign land. While the setting is historical, the emotional core deals with finding bravery in isolation. It is a sobering but deeply human story that helps older children and young teens process feelings of powerlessness and the strength found in written reflection.