

More Valuable Than Gold
Persuasive (nonfiction) 1,107 words, Level U (Grade 4), Lexile 1000L
More Valuable Than Gold argues that the gold gained from illegal prospecting and mining in the Amazon rainforest is not worth the deforestation, mercury contamination, destruction of Indigenous cultures, and loss of biodiversity it causes. The author also discusses some reasons why people mine illegally and possible solutions. Photographs, maps, and graphs enhance the text.