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This MG novel in verse about Depression living in the Dustbowl was maybe not the smartest choice I could have made when I couldn‘t sleep last night at 3AM, but this likely would‘ve made me cry even if I‘d been feeling stable and well rested. So good! #AllTheFeels

“I Dreamed I saw a sea / of sorghum stretched out, / miles of shocks, on all sides.“

Karen Hesse's 'Out of the Dust' is a novel-in-verse that immerses readers in the Dust Bowl era. Through its poetic narrative, it vividly portrays the challenges faced by a young girl and her family during a turbulent time in history, providing a unique lens for studying historical fiction. This book offers a poetic approach to historical storytelling, fostering discussions about the impact of historical events on individuals and communities.

#MarchMagic
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
#BookofPoetry

Taking a different spin here: this is a narrative book of poetry about Billie Jo's life living in the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma in the 1930s. The entire tale is told from BJ's POV, all in poetry. Haunting, lovely, and heartbreaking all at the same time. I included a little poem because I can't get enough of this book. In my top 5 of all time.

This book was published in 1997 and received the Scott O'Dell Book Award. This is a historical fiction book that is written in poetry form about the dust bowl. It is a heartbreaking story told in a beautiful way. I will absolutely use this book in my classroom!

Reading this all-the-feels story of a young girl growing up on a #farm during the 1930s dust bowl years in the US, beautifully written in free-verse. Thank you @Talewaggingreads . You told me I would enjoy it. You know me. Pic of today's walk beside the sand dunes at the wildlife refuge. #Newberry #Scholastic #SavvySettings @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

My March #BookSpinBingo list is set. They‘re all reads for #MiddleGradeMarchThroughTime. The list includes books for:

🍀 #BookedByHoliday, #ReadMyRoom
 @AkashaVampie
🍀 #ROLL100 @PuddleJumper
🍀 #MiddleGradeMarchThroughTime
 @megnews @sblbooks
🍀 #BookSpin, #DoubleSpin, #BookSpinBingo
 @TheAromaofBooks

Billie Jo details her life in the dust. A heartbreaking tale of a child‘s life during the dust bowl.

I forgot how sad this story was, I needed a change of pace from my previous book but this was just as depressing.

Great book about living in the dust bowl and what it took to survive. Heartbreaking.
#NewberyEpicChallenge #readingwithmaja #october #historical fiction

Have you ever not felt wanted? From the moment Billie Jo was born her father wanted a son not a daughter and her life only seemed to get worse. Out of the Dust is a HF novel by Karen Hesse. This unique story tells the tale of Billie Jo's life growing up on a farm during the great dust storms and the many struggles she faces.#ucflae3414su20

I enjoyed the descriptive language of this story.

“I hear the first drops. Like the tapping of a stranger at the door of a dream”

This author does a great job of using descriptive language and making the reader feel as if you are right there. It feels as if you are experiencing the dust bowl right with this girl. You can tell this book comes from authentic experiences.

“Each day after class lets out, each morning before it begins, I sit at the school piano and make my hands work. In spite of the pain, in spite of the stiffness and scars. I make my hands play the piano. I have practiced my best piece over and over till my arms throb.”

I appreciated that even though the book showed how Billie had a positive outlook- it was still honest about the tragedies that occurred. This is a great real-life depiction, and how child can approach even the worst issues.

Published in 1997, this is a story of a 14-year-old girl named Billie Jo Kelby who has a passion for music. This story takes place in Oaklahoma during the famous dust bowl (which took place from 1930-1936). The book shows how Billie can take the most tragic situations and let her positive spirit shine through. Really great read for children- as I can even remember focusing on the dust bowl at one point in class as a student.

“That‘s a way I‘ve found of gaining what I want, by catching Ma off guard, especially when I‘m after permission to play piano.”

I like this book because it tells a story about a family dealing with a natural phenomenon. It teaches children about the importance of helping out and working hard.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse was published in 1997. The book is about a family who lives in Oklahoma and is dealing with a big dust storm. The crops are struggling to grow and the buildings are filling with dust. Each of the families in the state are working to keep growing different crops and making money so that they can live and support their families.

I‘m reading through the books of our new k-8 ELA curriculum #WitAndWisdom — I knew only that this book was set in the Dust Bowl, so I was quite shocked by what happened to the protagonist and her mother. I think the students will be quite engaged too.

#lae3414sp19 Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is a John Newberry Medal winning piece of historical fiction (HF). A story about a young girl and her family as they make their way through the 1930‘s with the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Written as poem entries from Billy Jo‘s point of view, this story is a beautiful, but also somber story which is probably better suited for older students (4th-5th grade). This would be a great LC book

I‘ve been too busy reading lately to post, but this stanza jumped out at me.

Makes me thankful for clean air. It‘s hard to believe anyone hung on thru the dust bowl.

#dust #octoberputaspellonyou @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88

This was incredibly depressing and oddly hopeful at the same time. Also a very quick read- it was great to start off #24in48.

#QuotsyDec17 Day 21 #hope

Another quick audiobook listen to help me try to reach my 2017 reading goals. Read this as a kid. Was depressing tbh.

#awesomeautumnbooks #ToughTuesday
Billy Jo is having a tough time surviving in 1934-1935 Oklahoma. The drought, the dust, the winds, and the locusts are destroying everything. She is a pianist who has suffered a horrible burn to her hands. She thinks this means an end to her dreams of escaping her situation.
It's also a tough Tuesday here in the USA. DACA has been recinded. Hurricane Irma may be headed for Florida.

Haunting, beautiful, unique. I'll have to read it again but my word. I'm in awe of it. Just overwhelmed. Gorgeous work. Also, being a huge fan (and wearer) of vintage '30s dresses, I can also imagine the "house dresses" right along side it. Just an incredible work of art, this book. #karenhesse #outofthedust

#Dust #VoicesOnTheWind

Currently reading.
Recommended by a friend, and so far I have no regrets. I've never read anything quite like it, and I'm having trouble putting it down.

A poetic, Newbery-winning story of the Dust Bowl experience. #RockinMay #DustInTheWind

I haven't been keeping up on photo challenges this month, but I immediately thought of this book when I saw #dustinthewind. It's a wonderful YA novel in verse set in the Dust Bowl during 1934 and 1935.

#YA #novelinverse #rockinmay #MsDsLibrary

#DustintheWind #RockinMay Newbery Medal winner told from the viewpoint of young Billie Jo. I had to read this for one of my librarian grad classes. It's a gripping, emotionally driven story set during the "Dust Bowl" of the US Great Depression. The unique free-verse poetry style made the tragedy in the book stand out all the more for me.

We Vermonters are fortunate to have a lot of well known authors close by. I decided not to go for the obvious (Howard Frank Mosher, Chris Bohjalian, Bernie Sanders, Alison Bechdel, Verandah Porsche, Ruth Stone). Karen Hesse was an important part of my children's education. #AprilBookShowers #localauthor

#OutoftheDust #KarenHesse #SeasonsReadings2016 #nonfictionfictionpairings #TheGreatDepression

Hello Litsy. I'm new here. But these are some really old friends I brought back from my parents's house last week. Time to find them homes on bookshelves!

And I promise I'll learn how to use this cool app I've been hearing all about. Bear with me.

#learning #doesLitsyusehashtags? #oldfriends #kiddielit

It isn't often that books make me cry, but there are certain ones that do the trick. I have seen some of them posted on Litsy today for #mademecry. One book I haven't seen is Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. There are parts of this book that are brutal, and they are made even more so because the book is written in a series of free verse poetry. The writing is sparse, leaving pure emotion. #somethingforsept