Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Title: Out of the dust / Karen Hesse.

Publisher: Scholastic Press, p1997, c1997

ISBN-13: 978-0-590-36080-7

ISBN-10: 0-590-36080-9

Classifications: Fiction

Interest/Reading Levels: Grades 3-6, 4.5

Book Summary:

The life of 13 year old Billy Jo is vividly portrayed by the excellent writing of Karen Hesse. The book takes readers on a first person journey through the difficult times of the Depression Dust Bowl.  Billy Jo can think of nothing else but what it would be like to get out of the dust, out of the heat, and out of her life. She struggles with life altering consequences that a single mistake creates and she learns that one moment can change you forever.  Hesse uses very few words in journal/prose format that will haunt readers with its imagery and themes of personal growth, the power of forgiveness, and the realization that home, like the dust, seeps in and never leaves you.

My Thoughts:

   This is one of those books that will remain with you long, long after you have read it.  Its powerful messages can almost startle a reader.  I believe that this is the kind of book that can be used in many age groups. It can be used with younger readers to learn simplistic real life type experiences about a difficult time in American history, or can be used with older students/adults for study of writing styles/genre and personal growth.  Very few books truly capture history in a way that allows for readers to relate personally to the life of the characters.  I found myself relating to many aspects of the story: loss of a parent, an inability to connect with the remaining living parent, the loss of something that makes you happy, facing the difficult situations with a feeling of no way out, and of course that no matter how difficult things can be, home is always home.

Library Toolbox of Tips and Tricks:

Information Literacy:

The Library of Congress gives excellent lessons and ideas on how to use Out of the Dust: (http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/dust/)

• examine primary source materials to gain knowledge of the Dust Bowl;
• use historical fiction to understand the human aspect of the Dust Bowl experience;
• relate primary source materials from American Memory collections to passages, characters, and events from the novel;
• develop research skills and strategies, such as keyword searches, for finding information.

Glog it!

Work with classroom teachers or parents by providing a list of excellent cites, and resource material to help students create a Glog on the Dust Bowl. (Example: http://kcauble.edu.glogster.com/outofdust/).  This is a wonderful time to teach students about intellectual property, copyright, and referencing

Personalized Readers Theater:

This book gives a wonderful example on how only a few words can make a large impact on a story.  Students can work together to write up personalized journal scripts about their own families and perform them in the library. Record them and post to the library website!

References:

Image:  Out of the Dust [cover image] Retrieved 
     from: http://www.titlewave.com/cover?FLR=28300D7&
     SID=b15897f86889dd00bf18b9defa279455&type=cover