Book Title: Out of the Dust
Author(s) and Artist(s)--if applicable: Karen Hesse
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Copyright Date: 1997
Selection Choice: Historical Fiction
Brief Annotation: The story takes place in the Great Depression during the Oklahoma dust bowl. Billie Jo is a fourteen year old girl who loses her mother and newborn baby brother due to a fire accident. She lives with her father who is trying to keep his farm alive but struggles because of all the dust and little rain. Billie Jo and her father become strangers to one another since her mother’s death as her father distances himself from Billie Jo and keeps to himself. Throughout the book, Billie Jo learns how to survive the dust, reunite with her father, and find strength inside herself to keep living. The story is a compelling novel that pulls readers in as Billie Jo learns about herself and the world.
Your Rating: 5/5
Readers who will like this book: Readers who enjoy reading in diary form and enjoys historical fiction.
Question to ask about this book before reading: What do you know about the dust bowl during the Great Depression?
Question to ask about this book during reading: Do you think Billie Jo and her father can reunite or will they remain strangers to one another?
Question to ask about this book after reading: What did you learn about what life was like during the Great Depression? Are there similarities between how Billie Jo and her father lived then and how some people may live today?
Optional, but noted as extra effort:
1. Interest Level (age): 11-13
2. Grade Level Equivalent (grade): 6-8
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3. List awards
1998 Newbery Medal Winner
Winner of the 1998 Scott O'Dell Award
I've always liked this book--I can't believe it's almost 15 years old! The fact that it's still in print tells you that it continues to be a popular choice. In the Content Area Literacy class (EDUC 3550), I often pair Out of the Dust with Children of the Dustbowl. The latter is nonfiction and it makes a perfect pairing with Hesse's book.
ReplyDeleteThe accurate way to describe the writing style, rather than journal/diary, is "prose poetry". Have you read Love that Dog by Sharon Creech? Same thing. And there's a book called Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson that uses the prose poetry style. Books in this category, the ones that are really good, are perfect picks for students who are reluctant or struggling readers. The books read quickly, but they're full of substantial content that guarantees all your readers will meet the content expectations.
I'd recommend reading other books by Karen Hesse. She's a beautiful writer. And if you want to check out Children of the Dustbowl, let me know! It's an inspirational story for anyone interested in teaching.