Out of the Dust

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Hesse, Karen. 1997. Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590360809

Out of the Dust is a historical fiction novel based on the dust bowl that occurred in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. The story follows fourteen year-old Billie Jo and her experience of the dust bowl from 1934-1935 and the loss of her mother and baby brother.  Written in free-verse poetry style, Billie Jo documents her experiences in a journal format.

Billie Jo's character is very believable throughout the story as she experiences the hardships of the Great Depression. Her mother is expecting a baby soon and with times being tough, Billie Jo takes on a job of playing piano for a band to help earn money for the family. The language used is appropriate for the time and readers will have no problem relating to Billie Jo's character. The history is presented accurately and in terms that children can understand. The plot is not overwhelming with details and is very realistic to the time period of the Great Depression. 

The setting is an integral part of the story since the dust bowl affected those who lived in Oklahoma at that time. The time and place are vividly described continuously and contributes to the authenticity of the story. The reader is able to understand the pain and hardship Billie Jo endured. The theme of the story is still relevant today, with Billie Jo experiencing the loss of her family members, financial struggles, and a strained relationship with her father. Hesse's style of writing helps create a wonderful story using literary elements. Hesse captures the speech patterns during the years of the Great Depression by including phrases like "The farm won't fail. Long as we get some good rain".

Out of the Dust is a wonderfully written story about the hardships families experienced, not only during the Great Depression, but those who survived the dust bowl. Young readers are able to relate to Billie Jo's character as she talks about school, testing, death, and sadness. The experiences of the characters are very detailed, but unfortunately, the sources are not referenced for further information about the Great Depression or the dust bowl. This is a quick read and perfect for reluctant readers. 

Out of the Dust was the Newbery Award Winner for 1998. Other awards and nominations include: Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, Young Reader's Choice Award-nominee.

If you enjoy this novel, you may also enjoy these titles written by Karen Hesse: Letters from Rifka, Witness, The Music of Dolphins, and Safekeeping. 

If you would like to read further about the dust bowl, you may enjoy: Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the school at Weedpatch Camp, The Great American Dust Bowl, and The Dirty Days: A Young Girl's Journey to and from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. 

School Library Journal 
"After facing loss after loss during the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, Billie Jo begins to reconstruct her life. A triumphant story, eloquently told through prose-poetry."

Booklist
"The story is bleak, but Hesse's writing transcends the gloom and transforms it into a powerfully compelling tale of a girl with enormous strength, courage, and love."

Further activities for Out of the Dust can be found at:
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/khesse.html

http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/out-of-the-dust/

http://www.prestwickhouse.com/PDF/SAMPLE/304477.pdf