When two strangers enter his life, M.C. Higgins learns the answer to saving his home and family from the slag heap of an Ohio strip mine. "All of the characters have vitality and credibility as well as a unique quality that makes them unforgettable . . ".--The Horn Book. Newbery Medal; National Book Award; ALA Notable Children's Book; School Library Journal Best of the Best; New York Times Outstanding Children's Books of the Year.