Gold Mountain by Betty G. eYe

Ling Fan faces a mountain of obstacles - her brother is dead, her father in prison and she is about to be married off to take care of the family. She decides to run instead pretending to be her brother and travels to America to take her brother's work contract building the railroad. Hiding the fact that she is a woman she makes a few friends but feels like she can't trust many people there. Soon it becomes clear that only by taking the dangerous jobs will she make enough to free her father. When accidents begin to happen and it is clear that the railroad company isn't afraid to let a few Chinamen die to finish first in the rail race, Ling Fan takes action. Terrific historical fiction that will appeal to older middle school readers, young adults and adults alike. This is yet another example of how immigrants were treated unfairly yet contributed greatly to this country.  4 stars