Book Review: Out of the Dust

Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust won the Newbery Medal in 1998. I primarily selected the book because I thought I'd need a shorter selection for the few days prior to CBLI. Alas, I ended up with only two days available, so I listened to music those days instead. Still, this was a brief journey and worth the listen. What made it extra special was that the book references Lubbock, Texas, where my sister just moved. I know she has experienced one dust storm since moving and the book helped me to imagine what that must be like.

Fourteen-year-old Billie Jo lives on a struggling Oklahoma farm with her pregnant mother and her hard-working father. The dust storms come, bringing with them a host of problems for the family. After a tragic accident occurs, Billie Jo must face the devastation and re-frame her life. Despite an invitation from her aunt in Lubbock, to live with her, Billie Jo toughs it out to remain with her family and endure the new challenges.

Because I listened to the story, I wasn't entirely aware that it was written in free verse until I browsed the back cover of the case. It was a simple, sad story, but full of hope and healing. It would make a great read-aloud to pair with a study of the Great Depression or the Dust Bowl. My favorite line came toward the end, when Billie Jo observes: "And I know now that all the time I was trying to get out of the dust, the fact is, what I am, I am because of the dust and what I am is good enough, even for me." What a great lesson for kids: the struggle may be difficult but it shapes us into the individuals we need to be.