'Coal River' is a poignant historical novel that tells the story of Emma Malloy, a nineteen-year-old who returns to the oppressive mining town of Coal River, Pennsylvania, after being orphaned and falling into poverty. Once home, Emma witnesses the harrowing conditions of the breaker boys, child laborers in the coal mines, and is reminded of her own lost brother. As she covertly aids the miners and their families, Emma's compassionate acts put her at odds with the powerful mine owner and town authorities. An unexpected alliance with a courageous miner aids her quest to reveal the grim truth of child labor. Ellen Marie Wiseman's tale showcases the moral dilemmas and risks one must face when confronting injustice in an era when the line between right and legal is dangerously blurred.