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Out of the Dust (Scholastic Gold)

by Karen Hesse

A young life shaped by the Dust Bowl

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Awards & Recognition

  • Award recognition

    Newbery Medal winner

    The metadata describes the novel as Newbery Medal-winning.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A young life shaped by the Dust Bowl

Set amid the dust storms and struggling farms of 1930s Oklahoma, Karen Hesse’s novel-in-verse follows fourteen-year-old Billie Jo through grief, injury, and a changed family life. Piano playing has been a source of comfort, but her wounded hands make it impossible; meanwhile, her father’s silence and the worsening conditions on the farm leave her facing loss on several fronts. The historical setting is woven into Billie Jo’s personal story, linking the hardships of the Dust Bowl to the upheaval within her home. Its verse form gives the account a distinct structure, while the supplied description centers on her search for peace in a harsh landscape.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in historical fiction set during the Dust Bowl and the 1930s Oklahoma farming crisis.
  • Readers who enjoy novels in verse focused on a young person’s experience of grief and family change.
  • Ages 9–12, as indicated by the supplied metadata.

Themes

Dust Bowl and farm hardshipGrief and family changeMusic and physical injurySeeking peace

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Acclaimed author Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal-winning novel-in-verse explores the life of fourteen-year-old Billie Jo growing up in the dust bowls of Oklahoma.

 

Out of the Dust joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

 

"Dust piles up like snow across the prairie. . . ."

 

A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better -- playing the piano -- is impossible with her wounded hands.

 

To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma -- and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.

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