This gripping story, written in sparse first-person, free-verse poems, is the compelling tale of Billie Jo's struggle to survive during the dust bowl years of the Depression. With stoic courage, she learns to cope with the loss of her mother and her grieving father's slow deterioration. There is hope at the end when Billie Jo's badly burned hands are healed, and she is able to play her beloved piano again. The 1998 Newbery Medal winner.
Out of the Dust
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Like the Oklahoma dust bowl from which she came, 14-year-old narrator Billie Jo writes in sparse, free-floating verse. In this compelling, immediate journal, Billie Jo reveals the grim domestic realities of living during the years of constant dust storms: That hopes--like the crops--blow away in the night like skittering tumbleweeds. That trucks, tractors, even Billie Jo's beloved piano, can suddenly be buried beneath drifts of dust. Perhaps swallowing all that grit is what gives Billie Jo--our strong, endearing, rough-cut heroine--the stoic courage to face the death of her mother after a hideous accident that also leaves her piano-playing hands in pain and permanently scarred.
Meanwhile, Billie Jo's silent, windblown father is literally decaying with grief and skin cancer before her very eyes. When she decides to flee the lingering ghosts and dust of her homestead and jump a train west, she discovers a simple but profound truth about herself and her plight. There are no tight, sentimental endings here--just a steady ember of hope that brightens Karen Hesse's exquisitely written and mournful tale. Hesse won the 1998 Newbery Award for this elegantly crafted, gut-wrenching novel, and her fans won't want to miss The Music of Dolphins or Letters from Rifka. (Ages 9 and older) --Gail Hudson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
In a starred review of the 1998 Newbery Medal winner, set during the Depression, PW said, "This intimate novel, written in stanza form, poetically conveys the heat, dust and wind of Oklahoma. With each meticulously arranged entry Hesse paints a vivid picture of her heroine's emotions." Ages 11-13.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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As summer wheat came ripe, so did I, born at home, on the kitchen floor. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
As summer wheat came ripe, so did I, born at home, on the kitchen floor. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Recommendation-
I recommend this book to anyone that's 13 years old and up because the first part of the story is emotional. Billy's mom died. "Ma died that day giving birth to my brother." Billy's mom died because of the fire in which she was burned badly. This is why I recommend this book to older kids. I like this book because when people that are close to you pass away it shows how you can get on with your live. "I was invited to graduation, to play the piano." This citation shows that people start to think that Billy is normal, and she can play the piano again.
I recommend this book to anyone that's 13 years old and up because the first part of the story is emotional. Billy's mom died. "Ma died that day giving birth to my brother." Billy's mom died because of the fire in which she was burned badly. This is why I recommend this book to older kids. I like this book because when people that are close to you pass away it shows how you can get on with your live. "I was invited to graduation, to play the piano." This citation shows that people start to think that Billy is normal, and she can play the piano again.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I read Out of The Dust when i was probably 11, and i LOVED it! For me, i love stories with a lot of drama and stories that make me cry. Some people don't like that feeling when reading a book. like i said though, i like it. As well as tears, there were also some laughs. it's a quick read and deffinately a good one!
By Laura M.
Format:Paperback
I think the book was good. It made me think about how tough it was living through dust storms and living without a mom and without a little brother. Living without a mom that teaches you piano lessons and having those lessons dissappear when she dies is really hard. So she's trying to move on and regain those lessons and memories.
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4.1 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
NO GO FOR BILLIE JO
I'm sorry but unless you are looking to throw yourself in a state of depression, this book is of no use to you. Read more
Published on Jun 16 2004 by Gina
1.0 out of 5 stars
Terribly depressing with no uplifters whatsoever
This must be one of the worst pieces of literature I have ever read in my 16 years. Thank you, Waldron Mercy Academy, for providing me with such lovely book suggestions to... Read more
Published on Jun 14 2004 by QUEEN_OF_EVERYTHING
1.0 out of 5 stars
This book really stinks!
The theme of this book is death. You meet someone, you like them, they either die or move to California. Sorry I ruined all the book talks about. Read more
Published on May 6 2004
4.0 out of 5 stars
Out of the Book Wonderful!
The book called out of the dust is a great book! I loved how she explained what the land looked like and how the people relate to the weather when there were major dust storms. Read more
Published on May 5 2004
4.0 out of 5 stars
Out of the Dust
I thought that it was a very interesting book(in a good way), and I liked the way it was written -in free verse-, I have not ever seen that before. Read more
Published on May 3 2004
4.0 out of 5 stars
book
I was a good book in which exposed you to the harsh reality of the dust how often people died and how hard it was to keep on to hope even through severe hardships. Read more
Published on May 1 2004 by Rolin
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Book Review for the Wonderful Book 'Out of the Dust'
This book really opened my eyes. I had no idea how difficult it was to live in the Dust Bowl during the Great Deppression. Read more
Published on April 27 2004 by "wellfinethen"
5.0 out of 5 stars
shannon gilliam
we read this book in texas history.I liked it alot it had a pretty sad ending but it gave me a really good glimpes of what happend back then during the great deppresion it wasn't a... Read more
Published on April 22 2004
3.0 out of 5 stars
It is an OK book(Tiger10)
It talks about the dust storms and how bad they were. I found it interesting because the dust storms were terible. Though, it talked a little too much about "the sad part". Read more
Published on April 22 2004
3.0 out of 5 stars
OUT OF THE DUST?
the book was very interesting. karen hesse has a very beautiful way of describing Billi Jo and her love and hunger for the piano because the way she talked about the piano in her... Read more
Published on April 21 2004 by Jordana Maxwell
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