Dig Too Deep, written by Amy Allgeyer, reviewed by Caroline Rabideau

Summary: When Liberty's mother gets put in jail, Liberty finds herself ripped from her very comfortable life in Washington DC, and sent back to live with her grandma on a rural homestead in Kentucky. It can't be as bad as she imagines it will be, right? Upon her arrival, she discovers a startling new reality. Liberty and her grandma struggle to survive on a fixed income and, when her grandma takes a turn for the worst, Liberty has to learn to balance school and being a caretaker for her grandma. But is something more sinister behind this "cold" her grandma has been nursing; something that could be killing a number of people throughout Ebbottsville? Liberty has got to get to the bottom of this in order to save the town from further destruction. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Amy Allgeyer did a beautiful job depicting real life in a small town in Kentucky where the job that puts food on the table is also the company that is slowly killing the people of the town. Dig Too Deep is a touching story about a daughter who has grown up too quickly, a mother who doesn't understand her child, and a grandmother filled with endless, healing love. It is truthful, heartbreaking, endearing, and inspirational all at the same time. I fell in love with each of the main characters in this book right away, cheering them on, laughing at their mishaps, cringing over embarrassing moments, crying for their heartbreak, and praying for their successes. Allgeyer has created characters and stories that are so real and relatable they have touched a place deep inside my heart. Dig Too Deep has packed in so many facts about mountain-top removal (MTR) mining and the dangers associated with the process. I found myself often googling statistics for additional information, or searching what actions are being taken to prevent or regulate MTR mining. As the reader, I thought through a number of questions; how do you shut these mines down while still providing jobs for those who live in the cities? Can there be a more ethical solution? What are the long term environmental effects of this type of mining? Are there any other alternatives? And what can be done to help those who are already suffering? Though Allgeyer never directly poses these questions, Liberty's journey inspires the reader to seek answers, both ethical and emotional. While Liberty's story is filled with sadness, anger, anxiety, and fear, it is matched with family love, friendship, hard work, and success. I was left touched by their stories, moved by their successes, and overjoyed by the possibility of new relationships for Liberty, our main character. I will note that Dig Too Deep was written for older teens, briefly touching on under-age drinking, drug use, physical abuse in a relationship, animal abuse, and attempt at murder. Yet, I believe many students will connect with similar experiences shared with Liberty, such as family budgeting or aging family members. And, for those students who find it interesting, I believe Dig Too Deep could be the inspiration for research on the dangers of MTR. If more of the future generation became aware of the harmful effects of MTR, perhaps they could seek a better solution that is less harmful on the environment while still providing much-needed jobs throughout the states that are affected by mining. This would be a fantastic book to inspire non-fiction research from students or to serve as a debate topic for ethics or environmental studies.