This picture book tells the story of a young boy, Savino, who must quit school to go work with his father in the mines in the early 1900’s. The description of Savino’s first day in the mine, through the eyes of a frightened young boy, are both touching and sad. He relies on his pit pony to help him find his way around the mine and complete his work. When his headlamp goes out, his pony calmly leads him back to his father. Finally, the workers are finished for the day and get their first week ever of holiday. The ponies get a break too and frisk and run when they joyfully reach fresh air at the surface. The illustrations are dark and impressionistic and set the tone well for the dank setting of the mine. A historical note at the end of the book explains that this book is based upon the true stories of an old miner named Savino Calibrese who worked in the Canadian mines around the time this story is set. This book is meaningful as an introduction to our students who are unfamiliar with the lives of miners past and present. It would be a good discussion piece for older students regarding child labor, animal rights and safe labor practices.