Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Plot Summary:

Karen Hesse’s, Out of the Dust is a remarkable book written in free verse about life during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Billie Jo is a wonderful character that possesses the strength to surpass the death of her mother, brother and the ridicule of the stares because of her charred skin. She deals with the guilt of killing her mother and the isolation of her father. Aside from the Depression, is seems as though Billie Jo is also going through the Great Depression of her life as she blossoms into a beautiful young lady. In the end, she is stronger and proves to herself that she can overcome any obstacle. I would recommend this book for those who have a low self-esteem, have lost a parent, or feel lonely.

Impression about the book

My impression about Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is how accurate the Karen Hesse depicts the life of a young girl during the Great Depression. The book written in free verse allows the reader to experience such a trying time in America’s history.

Reviews / Reviews Excerpts

This book is highly recommended. The reader is allowed to almost taste the dirt as Billie Jo’s journey evolves throughout the novel. This coming of age is an instant classic. Hesse beautifully captures such as trying time in history.

Suggestions for library use:

Librarians could use this book as a glimpse in the lives of people during the Great Depression. The librarian can read aloud the an excerpt and be captivated by Hesse’s genius writing