A Different Kind of Hero

Going to take it easy tonight with one of the 2000 Caudill nominees, A Different Kind of Hero by Ann R. Blackslee. This is nice little piece of historical fiction set in 1881 in Colorado in the gold mines. The mines are primarily worked by Irish immigrants who have moved west to make a better life for themselves and their children. Chinese immigrants have begun to move in and the Irish feel threatened. The Chinese are hard workers and will work for a lesser wage.

Renny is a twelve-year-old boy born to Irish immigrants. He is not your stereotypical Irish hot head. Rather, he has a tender heart. His father would like to toughen him up a bit because he thinks he won't be able to survive in the real world.

Enter Wong Gum Zi, the son of Chinese immigrants. His father works as a servant for the owner of the mine, the widow, Mrs. Maynard. Mrs. Maynard would like to see Zi get an education and so enrolls him into Renny's class. Even the teacher shows outright prejudice from the beginning, but Renny agrees to share his seat with the new boy. Zi is beat up after the first day of school and Renny's friends turn on Renny for befriending the Chinese boy.

The title reflects the moral of the story. Renny is a courageous and strong hero for standing up for Zi and against his peers and even his father. This is a different kind of courage than Renny's father knows, but he recognizes it and comes to respect it.

This is a quick and easy read. It gives a good picture of the times. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't run out and rave about it. If you like historical fiction, or if you are studying American immigrants or racial prejudice, this would be a book you might come across. Personally, I always feel a little pity for the books that don't jump out and grab you. They don't get movies made of them. They don't grow a cult following. They tend to be the books that teachers force you to read in the middle grades to teach about right and wrong. It's a shame that many will not remember this book. So I'm throwing it out there for maybe a little attention ... We only have one copy and I hate for it to be lonely.