Out of the Dust

Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse, is a heartwarming story that will leave no eye dry. It touches a chord that children don't see very often in children's literature, a good reason for receiving the Newbery award.
The style of this book is very unique. Fourteen year old, Billie Jo, shares in a diary of sort everything that happens to her, how she feels, and what her dreams are. By the end of the book children will feel that they really know her. They can put themselves in her difficult situations and learn that it is possible to overcome and continue living no matter what trial they may face.
Billie Jo faced a lot-- and accident that killed her mother and unborn baby brother, nearly destroyed her hands which lived to play the piano, and put up a wall between her and her father that felt impossible to tear down. The plot centers around Billie Jo's fight to overcome these trials and make it "out of the dust."
The setting of this book is also important. As the title may suggest, it is set in the Oklahoma dust bowl during the great depression. This adds to the list of battles Billie Jo has to face. This also adds an educational quality. They will learn what it is like to live in a dust storm.
Out of the Dust is a well written story that will spark an immediate interest in children's minds. They will learn to love Billie Jo through a plot that will surely bring a tear to every eye. It is of no wonder that this book received the prestigious Newbery award of excellence.

Out Of The Dust, By Karen Hesse Do you enjoy books that can help you on your history? Well, if you do, I know it�s just the book because it�s full of things that probably could help you. The book is a very sad book with lots of lessons about life. I thought that the book was okay because I could see the simplicity in which I could read it. I liked the way the story was written for the reason that blank poetry is really easy to understand and can be read quickly. I think that the book could have been better in the method of it being longer. Other ways that the book could be improved would be if the book had included a little more excitement. Overall I thought that the book was a very good one.
My favorite poem was the poem �Devoured�, {Hesse, 68,69}. This poem captivated my attention simply because I�m really a sensitive person and the poem was poignant. I could almost see myself in this situation because of the seriousness of the poem. I think that this book is for all ages 12 through adult. I perceive this for the reasons that it is an emotional story that people these ages would enjoy. These are the reasons that I enjoyed this book and believe other people will.

This book takes place during the depression era in a small town in Oklahoma. The main character of the book is a 13-14 year old girl named, Billy Jo. The book describes the realistic hardships, heartbreaks, and strength Billy Jo must endure due to constant dust storms on the Oaklahoma plain.

This book is written in free poetic verse. I think it's an excellent book because the book gives the readers an opportunity to think about what is happeing with Billy Jo. Readers will also be able to relate to the trials and situations Billy Jo is experiencing in the story. Karen Hesse makes this story quite real.

I will give the book 5 stars because of the authors unique way of constructing a story in free prose, but yet, at the same time, being able to give a realistic picture of hardships a young girl went through during the depression. I loved the book! It is a book worth buying.

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". But, overall it was a good book. The story is about one girl named Billy Jo. She lives in the Western part of Oklahoma. She lives with her parents in a a rural area. Since it takes place in the 1930's it is different. The book talks about her life. It is a depressing book.

Out of The Dust by Karen Hesse
In her award-winning book, Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse paints a picture of life in Oklahoma during the dust bowl period so real that you can almost feel the grit in your teeth. Set in poetic form, Hesse tells the story of Billie Jo and her life of poverty and pain in depression era Middle America. The two rays of hope in her somewhat dismal life are her ability to play the piano, and the anticipated birth of a sibling. Both these dreams are shattered in a tragic accident that leads to the death of her mother and newborn brother and scars her hands. The accident strains her already tenuous relationship with her father. Billie Jo rises slowly from despair and begins to play the piano again. Sadly, her previous means of escape doesn�t ease the ache in her heart, so she runs away from home. She discovers in her cross-country journey by train that you must deal with your problems instead of escaping them.
It�s easy to see why Hesse won the Newberry Award for this book. Her brilliant character development and her use of words to paint a picture of life in a world far from our own make this book a classic in the making.

Out of the Dust is by Karen Hesse. This book is about a girl named Billy Jo and her family trying to live through the dust bowl. The wheat her father is trying to grow is getting burned and blown away. Her mother is trying to make it through with a baby on the way. Later in the story her mother dies giving birth to her little brother. She and her father can't really talk after that.Billy Jo tries to run away but finds she can't get away from the dust.

Karen Hesse's "Out of the Dust" was very interesting. Hesse's use of vivid language, her style of writing, and the interesting plot that she created can not be matched.
"Out of the Dust" was written in a style different than most Newbery Medal winners. This story was written in free verse poetry, instead of the usual paragraph form. This was a very smart choice, though. Her free verse poetry described the characters and the events much better than other stories. It easily created a clear, descriptive picture in my mind.
The author of "Out of the Dust" made her writing explanatory and colorful, too. She used similes and metaphors to catch the reader's attention and create a work of art. For example, Karen Hesse described the main character as a "long-legged girl" with "cheekbones like bicycle handles". It was not hard to follow the text in this book.
The plot in this book is one of a kind. Taken place in the 1930's, during a time when dust storms and the Great Depression rocked the American well-being, a young, red-headed girl tries to survive this terrible time that she lives in. This girl faces all kinds of conflicts, including human vs. nature, human vs. self, and even human vs. society. Throughout her journey in life, she realizes many things about her family that takes great effect on her. As a daughter and a friend, she becomes a better person.
"Out of the Dust", by Karen Hesse, was beautifully written. The story was well-thought out, with many twists and turns along the way. It was a brilliant piece of writing, and certainly enjoyable to read.

Out of the Dust
Farmers have plowed up thousands of acres of the Southern plains prairie to plant wheat. Now a drought has struck the plain and the soil has turned to dust. Dust storms that block out the sun kill animals, people, and crops. Dust is every where and piles up like sand dunes. Out of the Dust is a compelling story about a girl living through the depression in the dust bowl. Billie Jo, the girl in the story, has to overcome many difficulties to survive in the dust bowl. Such as a terrible accident that transformed Billie's life forever. It is amazing that the dust bowl really happened. I like how the book intertwines historical facts with a fictional story line. It is very interesting to see what really happened in the dust bowl. Before I read Out of the Dust I didn't know much about the dust bowl. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars because the book was full of historical facts but not boring. I liked how you could really understand how Billie Jo was feeling as she faced the problems that the dust bowl caused. I would highly recommend Out of the Dust to readers that want to learn about history and still enjoy the book at the same time.

In my opinion the book Out of the Dust was a greatbook. It had plenty of detail and at the same time it told what was happening to her and how it effected her. It told us information about the Dust Bowl as well like what diseases poeple died from and how they handled this tragedy. Billie Joe helped us realize that even though she had been hurt emotionally and physically that you should never give up and I think that that was a good motto.

Billie Jo's courage is her most endearing quality. Hesse's first person narrator lets us into her mind to see her fears, doubts and guilts. By overcoming these, Billie Jo proves not only that she has "sauce" but heart as well. I particularly enjoyed Hesse paralleling the hole Pa digs with the hole or empty spaces in his and Billie Jo's lives. This book intimately reflects this devestating and important period of American history.

The title of the book is Out of the Dust. The main characters
are Billy Jo and her father. Her mama gets killed by an accident and her brother dies also two days after their mother. After that Billy Jo and her father grow apart. She runs away, but eventually returns. Billy manages to overcome alot. I rate this book a 10 because I feel that no matter what life's little obstacles you are thrown with, you can eventually manage to overcome them.

The is about all the the dust storms that happened all the time in the Panhadle. The book was baseically about a 14 year old girl going through very rough times in her life living during the years of the Depression.The main characters were Billie Jo,Mr.Kelby,Mrs.Kelby,and her brother Franklin.What I liked best about is that it had so much drama that shocked me.The worst thing I didn't like about the book was that it was that it was so confusing.

I really enjoied this book it helped me understand what it was like during the dust bowl. Also, it was fun to read and kept me on my toes.I think Karen Hesse did agreat job making it historical and making it interesting. In the story the girl Billy Joe tries so hard to find the good aspects of the Dust Bowl, and she wants to please her mother and father. Even though alot of bad stuff happens she and the people around her get throgh it.

I Think the novel is verry good. because it lets you know that

every one has to go some day and some time. it also lets you know

that evein know people might act like thay dont love you they

relly do. i also think it should be recommended to people who

fell like they are digging them a deep whole and cant get out.

thats what i relly think about this novel.

THE END

This book is very inspired by symbolism. My favorite poem was Roots because my life is sort of like that poem. I think that this book is appropriate for children from the age of seven to one-hundred and seven. I appreciate the symbolism in this poem. You really have to take a while and think about some of the poems in this book. I think that this book is one of my favorite books of all. If you buy this book, it'll be well worth your money!!

This book is very bland. It is exactly what i expected to be, very dull and boring. Being that there is no climax, i don't find any point to the book. The only amazing thing about it is that, she can write a book in all poems and make it blend together like a real story. Although the story goes by fast, it seems like the days it takes place in are slow. I wouldn't recommend this book, if your looking for a fun thrilling story.

"My father is amusement at the station, and I call him Daddy for the first time since Ma died, and we walk home, together, talking." (Hesse, 205) Out of the Dust, a book by Karen Hesse, is about a girl, Billie Jo, whose life is held in dust. Billie Jo doesn't have a happy, joyous life, but neither does she have a dull, boring life. She wouldn't be surprised to see layers of dust resting on her piano. She was born with dust all over. A favorite poem of mine, "Met", is about Billie Jo who just came back from running away on a train. Though her father was never too close to her daughter, it seemed as though with Billie Jo running away, it brought her father and herself closer to each other than before. As they had walked home together, each of their vile memories and mistakes melted away. I recommend this book to people ten and over. It is basically for anyone who likes to read poems. I state that it is for people older than ten because there are many words that are hard to understand and for the fact that it is in poem form, it makes it a little harder to understand. I liked when simile was used because it characterized and put personality to an object that Billie Jo was describing. An example of simile from "Met", is, "I tell him he is like the sod, and I am like the wheat..." (Hesse, 205)

This book was absolutely WONDERFUL!!! This book is VERY detailed!!!!!!!!! I loved it sooooooooooo much I read it for 3 hours straight! It will make you cry!!! You will also miss your mother. A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will hook you immediately!!! It's happy then sad then it is really happy. This book is like nothing I have EVER read! I suggest children don't read this though. Teens and adults really. 11 and 12 years of age would also be appropriate! Everyone should read this eventually!!!

The book was a true story and I almost thought it wasn't true because it was so sad.I really felt bad far the auther because of all the sand that was messing up her life. If I could ask the auther one question I would ask:"How could you live with no mom ,no brother sand always in the wrong place,and a father who didn't say much." Anyone who wants to read it try to face the facts of true life. (But I have to say it was very good.)

The story includes many suspenseful and surprising events. One is when a girl named Billie Jo threw a firey bucket of kerosene at her mother. The story includes some predictable events. The climax changes the story in an unbelievable way because the Ma died with the baby, Franklin. There are a number of interesting and important events which lead to the ending. The ending was a "happily ever after," which was very unusual.

I was tremendously moved by this book. I thought reading a bunch of poems would be confusing and dull, but every poem was like a magnet, pulling me into the book even more. I found myself flipping pages and reading until 2:00 AM, knowing I would hate myself in the morning. Hesse's fascinating characters, descriptive words, and knowledge of this time in history is amazing. I just loved it, and will read it again.

This novel is about a young girl going through many struggles. First her dad left kerosense in the kitchen and then her mom and helself get burned. SHe loved to play the piano but now since the accident her hands are burnt. This book is really depressing because her mom dies along with her new baby brother. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes to read emotional books. I give it three stars.

"The dust stopped, and it snowed. Real snow." (Hesse, 90)
In the book Out of the Dust my favorite poem is "Real Snow." This poem is full of great detail and descriptions, it really pulls you into it and makes you feel like you're out there with Billie Jo This poem is well-written and has a lot of meticulous detail in it. I like how it describes the snow and compares it to a lot of different things. I would think that this book is geared toward kids in their early teens. I am 14 and I understood some poems and I found some parts depressing, but others I found joyful and uplifting. The reason that I enjoyed this book was how the author, Karen Hesse wrote the book. She broke it up into poems and then broke them up further and put them into stanzas. It's much more interesting that way, than having it all combined into one story. Here is an example of how Hesse broke up a page into stanzas. Here is an example of her detail and how she really pulls you into the poem:
"The women talked as they scrubbed death from our house. I stayed in my room silent on the iron bed, listening to their voices."
That quote was from the poem called, "Blame." Hesse writes well and puts lots of meticulous details into her poems. The quote that I chose above is a good example of the detail that she puts into her poems. She makes you feel like you are there next to Billie Jo experiencing the depression and violent dust storms. Overall, this was a very compelling, yet sometimes depressing story of a family living in the time of the Dust Bowl.

Out of the Dust is a great and wonderful story. The characters in this book make this book a realistic novel of a teenagers life. My best friend and I are doing a report together on any book we choose. Out of the Dust was our first pick. Billie Jo is a teenager but not at all an average one!! She has to live through years and years of cruel dust, without a mother, and Neglected by her father. I liked poetic form.

Out of the Dust is a phenomenal book that deserves five stars. The book has an amazing story line of the harsh times in the Dust Bowl back in the 1930's. Out of the Dust is a definite must read for children and teenagers of any age. Told from the point of view of a young girl, Billy Joe, its poetry has sadness and depression as well as happiness and joy. It has won many awards such as the Newberry medal.

"Trees will break the wind. He says, trees will end the drought, the animals can take shelter there, children can take shelter. Trees have roots, he says. They hold on to the land." This quote is from my favorite poem in Out of the Dust. The poem is called "Roots." I chose this quote because it is very meaningful, and since trees are extremely important to the world, this poem is very superior. The book Out of the Dust is a very compelling, suspenseful, and tragic book all at the same time, with a 13-year-old Billie Joe who is faced with the tragedy of her mother dying. She has to deal with being surrounded by dust all her life, living in the Dust Bowl. She also has to deal with her father, who is very ungrateful, and doesn't even talk to her. Each event in this book is a poem. I believe that Karen Hesse uses a lot of figurative speech in this novel. Important to the book is "The wind roared like fire", and a simile "She smelled like scorched meat."

I have read Out of the Dust and I thought it was a very interesting book. This book had a lot of historical information. Out of the Dust was about a 13 year old girl named Billie Jo. Here family was surviving the dust bowl. Her hardest times in the book I think was when her mother died from the burns she got. Billie Jo had an extreamly hard life. Her dad blamed the accident that killed mama on her, so he didn't talk to her very much any more. She has to survive the hrroible dust storms almost everyday. Some of the storms fill houses with two feet of dust other storms runed cars an tractors because the engine got filled with dust. Pretty much every storm runed thier crops and made dunes like the dunes in deserts. I gave it five stars because I like how they combined the hitorical facts with the story and poems. I liked how the book was written that you could understand Billie jo's fellings. I would recomend this book to everyon and people who like to read and learn history at the same time.

I gave the book Out of the Dust four stars because I liked the book Out of the Dust because it was written in free verse poetry and it was easier to read and understand because it was a shorter book. I have read other books and it took me longer to read those books because I couldn't get into the books. This is one of those books that you don't want to put down because it keeps on getting better and better.

Billy Jo a girl from Oklahoma describes her life living in the Dust Bowl. She goes threw rough times losing her mother and brother .The Dust Bowl also caused a lot of problem facing Billy Jo individually. Out the Dust is very symbolic if you read it you will find out why. Out Of the Dust provide historical facts and interesting details. I recommend you to read this book. I t is one of my favorites and many more

I like this book becuz its sad and predictable at the same time the book is also depresing. Its depresing because thiers so much death and sarrow.Its like a soap but way more dramatic. but it was all good but it was kinda boring at the same time... well if u read it u well knw wht im talkin bout alright. well if u like this book u must be raelly boring and dull , because thats wht the book was,the only part that was good was the part wear she ran away other then that the book was so boring.

Billie Jo is a long-legged and red haired girl. She lived an ordinary but dusty life in Oklahoma with her parents and had an incredible passion for playing the piano. Her mother was very severe. She often thought that Billie Jo's work was much more important than playing the piano. Then a disastrous accident occurred, one that sent her mother and her newborn baby brother away from them forever. Playing the piano is now out of the picture due to the injuries on her hands. This accident has created a bigger space between Billie Jo and her father. Sadly, they never had a strong father/daughter bond. They blame each other and at times, themselves. Soon, the dust storms and droughts obliterate all the crops. Billie Jo can't stand the dust bowl any longer, and decides to run away from all her dilemmas. While she runs off, she realizes that she actually loves her father and the land, and she can't leave them now. As they move on with their lives, Billie Jo finds that there is hope.

Out of The Dust, by Karen Hesse is about a girl, Billie Jo, growing up during the Dust Bowl era. The book is written in free-verse poetry, which makes it interesting to read.
In the story, Billie Jo faces many hardships. Which include, the dust storms, not having much money, her mother & baby brother dying, and her being left to keep the family, which consisted of her father and her, together. Bille Jo's one refuge was to play the piano. But, after the terrible accident that had killed her mother and baby brother, her hands are left terribly scarred. These scars prevent her from doing things because her hands hurt her terribly, and she is in shame, because she partly blames herself for her mother's death.
Being during the Dust Bowl era, there was also a lack of money, as it were also the Great Depression. The farmers had taken advantage of the great amounts of wheat that they had produced during the '20's. Sadly, it had ended after the '30's had begun. The farmers had over-farmed the land, by planting the same crop over and over, which had sucked all the nutrients out of the soil, turning it to dust.

On a 1-10 scale, ten being the highest, I would rate this book a 7.

As we walk together, side by side, in the swell of dust, I am forgiving him, step by step, for the pail of kerosene. As we walk together, side by side, in the sole-deep dust, I am forgiving myself for all the rest. That stanza is my favorite poem of the book. It shows how the torn relationship of Billie Jo and her father is slowly healing. And how her relationship with "herself" is healing also. Over all I think Out of the Dust is an outstanding book. The poems are excellent at times. However, Sometimes the poems interfere with the flow of the book. That is why I only gave Out of the Dust 4 out of 5 stars. The book is chiefly the story of two years during the Dust Bowl, shown through the eyes of Billie Jo, a young girl. It offers much insight on what it must it have been like to live through that terrible time. It is deeply depressing, but at times light hearted and almost fun. I liked this book because it makes it easy to picture such a horrific time period in your head.

My favorite poem in Out of the Dust is "Out of the Dust." It starts off with her telling about how she knows that she is going to die if she stays. She decides to go and hitch a ride on a train. She goes west to get out of the dust. I like it because the book is named after it.
I think that the book is appropriate for anyone who can read. People who like non-fiction books, or realistic fiction books would enjoy it. I think that older people might like it because they might be able to relate to it.
The free-verse form in the book is an essential piece. It lets the author express what she wants to in a poem form. You don't see many books written this way, so that makes it unique. It also makes it easier to read, I think.
Overall, I think that I would rate this book two stars. It is good, but personally I didn't like that much. It has lots of historic background, which I think is good to have in a book. If you give this book a chance, you might like it.

Very effective. I've never liked poetry, and could never quite figure out the point of free verse, but it really works. One caveat--I thought this would be quick, easy reading because there are so few words on a page. NOT. There's something about finishing a "poem" that makes you stop and think about it, and I stopped for a few minutes after almost each and every one.

My favorite poem in Out of the Dust is "Out of the Dust." It starts off with her telling about how she knows that she is going to die if she stays. She decides to go and hitch a ride on a train. She goes west to get out of the dust. I like it because the book is named after it.
I think that the book is appropriate for anyone who can read. People who like non-fiction books, or realistic fiction books would enjoy it. I think that older people might like it because they might be able to relate to it.
The free-verse form in the book is an essential piece. It lets the author express what she wants to in a poem form. You don't see many books written this way, so that makes it unique. It also makes it easier to read, I think.
Overall, I think that I would rate this book two stars. It is good, but personally I didn't like that much. It has lots of historic background, which I think is good to have in a book. If you give this book a chance, you might like it.

Out of the Dust is a touching story about Billy Jo. Billy Jo is a girl living in the dust bowl to a poor family. Dust has covered everything in her house. Her Father has become a stranger to her and her best friend, Livie has recently moved away. This book was sad to read about the things people had to go through. Overal, I enjoyed reading the book. The poems and the style of writing is a page turner.

Hello, I just finished reading Out of the dust I gave it 4 stars because I didn't like how it was in poem form. I prefer a book that is written like a regular chapter book. I think the book is good over all because I liked how Karen Hesse gave a great description of the history of the Dust Bowl. I think if someone that lives in Texas or Oklahoma they would remember the dust storm and how horrible it was.

This book is really good! It is about a girl named Billie Jo which has a very tuff life. In a fire that was caused by her father she has been badly bruised on her hands which ahs stopped her from playing the thing that she loves the most the piano. Also she has lost the person she can count on the most. Let's just say you need to read this book to find out more information...so go get it!

This kids' / teens' book is amazing. The beautiful poems give Billie Jo Kelby a unique and believable voice that has a free, unconfined feeling. Her moods are defined by the layout of the poems which say so much in so few words. The plot is absorbing and believable, portraying themes well. Billie Jo is easy to relate to as she struggles to step away from unhappiness and accept her life. Going through a tough situation yourself? Billie Jo Kelby will help you find courage. There isn't much more I can say. Karen Hesse is a great author.

I really liked the book Out Of the Dust! I gave this book 5 stars. I liked it because it was in poem form, and made it eaiser for me to read. I think the author did a great job in all of the details about everything Billie Joe went through during the Dust Bowl. It really told about how it was for people to live during the awful Dust Bowl. I really liked this book and would definatly recamend this to kids of all ages.

The story includes many suspenseful and surprising events. One is when a girl named Billie Jo threw a firey bucket of kerosene at her mother. The story includes some predictable events. The climax changes the story in an unbelievable way because the Ma died with the baby, Franklin. There are a number of interesting and important events which lead to the ending. The ending was a "happily ever after," which was very unusual.

I was tremendously moved by this book. I thought reading a bunch of poems would be confusing and dull, but every poem was like a magnet, pulling me into the book even more. I found myself flipping pages and reading until 2:00 AM, knowing I would hate myself in the morning. Hesse's fascinating characters, descriptive words, and knowledge of this time in history is amazing. I just loved it, and will read it again.

Out of the Dust is an exciting book and I always want to know what's going to happen next. It showed how horrible it was in the Olkalahoma Dust Bowl. I like how the author writes in free-verse and how she makes the poems wild when Billie Jo is having a good time. Like in, "On Stage" and, "The Dream". The author puts something in the story that's bad, then when you think everything is back to normal she makes it bad. Like when Billie Jo was cleaning the dishes and then a dust storm came. I like how the author makes one thing good and then that forms another and another. Like when the father starts to forgive Billie Jo everything starts to forgive her, like the weather. Out of the Dust shows love between different characters. Like Billie Jo and her dad near the end. I would rate this four stars, because the author makes you picture what's going on. You can picture the dust storms, the cars covered in dust, and Ma's grave. I like how the author puts generousity in poems and Billie Jo doesn't get anything for it in the beginning, but at the end Billie gets a picture. Out of the Dust is a well written book that that has love, death, and what's it like in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl.

This novel is about a young girl going through many struggles. First her dad left kerosense in the kitchen and then her mom and helself get burned. SHe loved to play the piano but now since the accident her hands are burnt. This book is really depressing because her mom dies along with her new baby brother. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes to read emotional books. I give it three stars.

"The dust stopped, and it snowed. Real snow." (Hesse, 90)
In the book Out of the Dust my favorite poem is "Real Snow." This poem is full of great detail and descriptions, it really pulls you into it and makes you feel like you're out there with Billie Jo This poem is well-written and has a lot of meticulous detail in it. I like how it describes the snow and compares it to a lot of different things. I would think that this book is geared toward kids in their early teens. I am 14 and I understood some poems and I found some parts depressing, but others I found joyful and uplifting. The reason that I enjoyed this book was how the author, Karen Hesse wrote the book. She broke it up into poems and then broke them up further and put them into stanzas. It's much more interesting that way, than having it all combined into one story. Here is an example of how Hesse broke up a page into stanzas. Here is an example of her detail and how she really pulls you into the poem:
"The women talked as they scrubbed death from our house. I stayed in my room silent on the iron bed, listening to their voices."
That quote was from the poem called, "Blame." Hesse writes well and puts lots of meticulous details into her poems. The quote that I chose above is a good example of the detail that she puts into her poems. She makes you feel like you are there next to Billie Jo experiencing the depression and violent dust storms. Overall, this was a very compelling, yet sometimes depressing story of a family living in the time of the Dust Bowl.

Out of the Dust is a great and wonderful story. The characters in this book make this book a realistic novel of a teenagers life. My best friend and I are doing a report together on any book we choose. Out of the Dust was our first pick. Billie Jo is a teenager but not at all an average one!! She has to live through years and years of cruel dust, without a mother, and Neglected by her father. I liked poetic form.

Out of the Dust is a phenomenal book that deserves five stars. The book has an amazing story line of the harsh times in the Dust Bowl back in the 1930's. Out of the Dust is a definite must read for children and teenagers of any age. Told from the point of view of a young girl, Billy Joe, its poetry has sadness and depression as well as happiness and joy. It has won many awards such as the Newberry medal.

"Trees will break the wind. He says, trees will end the drought, the animals can take shelter there, children can take shelter. Trees have roots, he says. They hold on to the land." This quote is from my favorite poem in Out of the Dust. The poem is called "Roots." I chose this quote because it is very meaningful, and since trees are extremely important to the world, this poem is very superior. The book Out of the Dust is a very compelling, suspenseful, and tragic book all at the same time, with a 13-year-old Billie Joe who is faced with the tragedy of her mother dying. She has to deal with being surrounded by dust all her life, living in the Dust Bowl. She also has to deal with her father, who is very ungrateful, and doesn't even talk to her. Each event in this book is a poem. I believe that Karen Hesse uses a lot of figurative speech in this novel. Important to the book is "The wind roared like fire", and a simile "She smelled like scorched meat."

I have read Out of the Dust and I thought it was a very interesting book. This book had a lot of historical information. Out of the Dust was about a 13 year old girl named Billie Jo. Here family was surviving the dust bowl. Her hardest times in the book I think was when her mother died from the burns she got. Billie Jo had an extreamly hard life. Her dad blamed the accident that killed mama on her, so he didn't talk to her very much any more. She has to survive the hrroible dust storms almost everyday. Some of the storms fill houses with two feet of dust other storms runed cars an tractors because the engine got filled with dust. Pretty much every storm runed thier crops and made dunes like the dunes in deserts. I gave it five stars because I like how they combined the hitorical facts with the story and poems. I liked how the book was written that you could understand Billie jo's fellings. I would recomend this book to everyon and people who like to read and learn history at the same time.

I gave the book Out of the Dust four stars because I liked the book Out of the Dust because it was written in free verse poetry and it was easier to read and understand because it was a shorter book. I have read other books and it took me longer to read those books because I couldn't get into the books. This is one of those books that you don't want to put down because it keeps on getting better and better.

Billy Jo a girl from Oklahoma describes her life living in the Dust Bowl. She goes threw rough times losing her mother and brother .The Dust Bowl also caused a lot of problem facing Billy Jo individually. Out the Dust is very symbolic if you read it you will find out why. Out Of the Dust provide historical facts and interesting details. I recommend you to read this book. I t is one of my favorites and many more

I like this book becuz its sad and predictable at the same time the book is also depresing. Its depresing because thiers so much death and sarrow.Its like a soap but way more dramatic. but it was all good but it was kinda boring at the same time... well if u read it u well knw wht im talkin bout alright. well if u like this book u must be raelly boring and dull , because thats wht the book was,the only part that was good was the part wear she ran away other then that the book was so boring.

Billie Jo is a long-legged and red haired girl. She lived an ordinary but dusty life in Oklahoma with her parents and had an incredible passion for playing the piano. Her mother was very severe. She often thought that Billie Jo's work was much more important than playing the piano. Then a disastrous accident occurred, one that sent her mother and her newborn baby brother away from them forever. Playing the piano is now out of the picture due to the injuries on her hands. This accident has created a bigger space between Billie Jo and her father. Sadly, they never had a strong father/daughter bond. They blame each other and at times, themselves. Soon, the dust storms and droughts obliterate all the crops. Billie Jo can't stand the dust bowl any longer, and decides to run away from all her dilemmas. While she runs off, she realizes that she actually loves her father and the land, and she can't leave them now. As they move on with their lives, Billie Jo finds that there is hope.

Out of The Dust, by Karen Hesse is about a girl, Billie Jo, growing up during the Dust Bowl era. The book is written in free-verse poetry, which makes it interesting to read.
In the story, Billie Jo faces many hardships. Which include, the dust storms, not having much money, her mother & baby brother dying, and her being left to keep the family, which consisted of her father and her, together. Bille Jo's one refuge was to play the piano. But, after the terrible accident that had killed her mother and baby brother, her hands are left terribly scarred. These scars prevent her from doing things because her hands hurt her terribly, and she is in shame, because she partly blames herself for her mother's death.
Being during the Dust Bowl era, there was also a lack of money, as it were also the Great Depression. The farmers had taken advantage of the great amounts of wheat that they had produced during the '20's. Sadly, it had ended after the '30's had begun. The farmers had over-farmed the land, by planting the same crop over and over, which had sucked all the nutrients out of the soil, turning it to dust.

On a 1-10 scale, ten being the highest, I would rate this book a 7.

As we walk together, side by side, in the swell of dust, I am forgiving him, step by step, for the pail of kerosene. As we walk together, side by side, in the sole-deep dust, I am forgiving myself for all the rest. That stanza is my favorite poem of the book. It shows how the torn relationship of Billie Jo and her father is slowly healing. And how her relationship with "herself" is healing also. Over all I think Out of the Dust is an outstanding book. The poems are excellent at times. However, Sometimes the poems interfere with the flow of the book. That is why I only gave Out of the Dust 4 out of 5 stars. The book is chiefly the story of two years during the Dust Bowl, shown through the eyes of Billie Jo, a young girl. It offers much insight on what it must it have been like to live through that terrible time. It is deeply depressing, but at times light hearted and almost fun. I liked this book because it makes it easy to picture such a horrific time period in your head.

My favorite poem in Out of the Dust is "Out of the Dust." It starts off with her telling about how she knows that she is going to die if she stays. She decides to go and hitch a ride on a train. She goes west to get out of the dust. I like it because the book is named after it.
I think that the book is appropriate for anyone who can read. People who like non-fiction books, or realistic fiction books would enjoy it. I think that older people might like it because they might be able to relate to it.
The free-verse form in the book is an essential piece. It lets the author express what she wants to in a poem form. You don't see many books written this way, so that makes it unique. It also makes it easier to read, I think.
Overall, I think that I would rate this book two stars. It is good, but personally I didn't like that much. It has lots of historic background, which I think is good to have in a book. If you give this book a chance, you might like it.

Very effective. I've never liked poetry, and could never quite figure out the point of free verse, but it really works. One caveat--I thought this would be quick, easy reading because there are so few words on a page. NOT. There's something about finishing a "poem" that makes you stop and think about it, and I stopped for a few minutes after almost each and every one.

My favorite poem in Out of the Dust is "Out of the Dust." It starts off with her telling about how she knows that she is going to die if she stays. She decides to go and hitch a ride on a train. She goes west to get out of the dust. I like it because the book is named after it.
I think that the book is appropriate for anyone who can read. People who like non-fiction books, or realistic fiction books would enjoy it. I think that older people might like it because they might be able to relate to it.
The free-verse form in the book is an essential piece. It lets the author express what she wants to in a poem form. You don't see many books written this way, so that makes it unique. It also makes it easier to read, I think.
Overall, I think that I would rate this book two stars. It is good, but personally I didn't like that much. It has lots of historic background, which I think is good to have in a book. If you give this book a chance, you might like it.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse was a very well written book. It kept me wondering throughout the entire story of Bilee jo's life and her family. I enjoyed reading her story in free verse. The author wrote in clear and understandable language. Karen Hesse also put thought and feelings into her work. There are so many emotions you will feel in this book. To me the sadest part of the book was when bilee jos mom died because she was burnt so badly and people think its Bilee Jo's fault. Another emotional part of the book was when the dust storms occured. Bilee Jo explained that many people that she knew in her town died or or got pneumonia. Although there are parts of the book that are sad the ending suprised me the most. It shocked me that Billee Jo's dad found someone new that he will spend the rest of his life with. On a rating of 1-10 I would rate this book a 9.

Out of the Dust is a great book for anyone. It is about a fourteen-year-old girl named Billie Jo and her depressed life during the Dust Bowl time period. It shows how hard life was during this time and what it was like to experience a dust storm. You read about the struggles in Billie Jo's life and how she faces them. It was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone.

I just finised Karen Hesse's book Out Of The Dust. It was a great story. I liked this book because it was very good and you found out how it was during the Oklahoma dust bowl. It was a very exciting book. Parts of it were very sad and others were suprising. I also liked the way it was written like a diary. If you are looking for a good book try Karen Hesse's Out Of The Dust.

I think this is a very thought provoking book. It really makes you think about how fortunate you are compared to those people. I am so glad that every evening when i eat dinner I don't have to worry about my dinner being covered with dust or whether the pepper is really pepper:0). It has some very sad parts, funny, and adventurous parts. It is not my favorite book though.

The book Out of the Dust by Karen Hessee is about a twelve year old girl named Billie Jo, who is living during the Dustbowl. The book tells about the hard times Billie Jo and her family members go through in the Dustbowl. I would rate the book as an eight out of ten because it was very interesting and I learned many things about life during the Dustbowl from reading it.

Out of the dust is an excellent book. It's about a girl that lives in Oklahoma during the dust bowl in 1934. The novel has tragedy. It can make you think really hard about how you should appreciate everything you have. I think that everybody should at least try to read the book. I like the book because it has substance,it's not boring but it's not to exciting.

Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse, is a 2 star book.
Out of the Dust is about a family living in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s and their struggles and hardships. Their wheat is not growing and they need the money. To begin with, Out of the Dust is depressing. The largest event that happens is when Daddy puts a pail of kerosene by the stove. Ma thinks that it is a pail of water and lifts it to make coffee for Daddy. It catches on fire and Ma runs out to get Daddy. After Ma runs out, Billie Jo (the main character) picks up the pail and throws it outside. It hits Ma and she catches on fire. As the book says, "Ma got burned bad." This sets the stage for the whole story. As you can see, Out of the Dust is depressing, but it does teach you a lot about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.
Furthermore, Out of the Dust is boring. It goes by quick though because it is written as a lot of free verse poems that sort of act as "chapters." I was glad when I was finished. I would recommend this book to middle schoolers, although I did not like it very much, because younger students would not have the attention span for such a boring book. It is especially boring to me because I do not like poems, especially ones that do not have a certain format or do not rhyme. If you just need something to read though, Out of the Dust is not a bad choice. For the reasons above, Out of the Dust is a 2 star book.

Out of the Dust has an interesting format. This book by Karen Hesse is written in free verse. The main character, Billie Jo, has to live with repulsive problems such as dust everywhere she goes and that her only way to money, the wheat, won't grow. Just as her hopes were getting high they are smashed by her mothers gruesome death. Unfortunately, at the time of Billie Jo's mother's death she was pregnant and mournfully the baby died. A few months later Billie Jo tries to run away from her problems and hops on a train. She then learns, from a stranger, that you can't run away from your problems. She goes back to her home and her father has skin cancer. Does he survive and live happily ever after with Billie Jo or does he die and leave Billie Jo all alone in the world? This exhilarating book keeps you on your toes until the very last word on the very last page.

Billie Jo,a 13 year old girl living during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Billie Jo lives in a small panhackle shack with her pregnant mom and her dad out in the desert prarie. Billie Jo has a hunger for playing fierce piano and a fondness for apples. After a teribble accident that left her mother dead along with her baby brother not yet a day old out of the dust. Billie Jo's hands left unable to play or do anythinng may change her forever. Billie Jo is left on her own with no one to talk to because her father has also changed because of the accident. Later on Billie Jo runs away and then relizes that she can only grow were she is. When Billie Jo comes back her father is there to open her with his arms wide open they slowly begin to revive thier realationship. A new woman in her and her father's life that may help her life become again once normal.

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 harsh 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. So go read this book.

This book was required for my Children's Literature class. Just about everyone in my class liked this book, and their ages range from 18 years old to 60+.
I liked all of the poems. This story would have been excellent if it wasn't in poetic prose, but the style Hess used enabled the story to be told in fewer words that had more meaning.
Another reason I liked the poetic prose is because there was a definite rhythm! It made me feel that Billy Jo was telling us her story through piano playing. Some of her songs were happy, and some were sad.
LUCKILY, this is one story that Disney will never try to make a movie out of.
I recommend this book for older children up through adult.

My favorite poem in the story is "Motherless". The poem describes how sad and dreadful the main character,Billy Joe, feel after her mother's death. "If Ma could put her arm across my shoulder sometime, or stroke back my hair, or sing me to sleep, making the soft sounds, the reassuring noises, that no matter how brittle and sharp life seemed, no matter how brittle and sharp she seemed, she was still my ma who loved me, then I think I wouldn't be so eager to go." (Hesse, 148)
The poem made me feel dredful. This one quote was enough to show Billy Joe's sadness. I think this book is enough to warm all ages of people's heart. Each words and each phrase are heart warming. This book has similes like "Legs running like fence rails down to a giant foot."(Hesse, 187)
I liked this book because it was very interesting to use a poem to tell a story.

Billie Joe is a girl that is named after a boy because her dad wanted a boy. It tells want kind of things that they did.The story tells how Billie joe has to deal with the death of her mother.Shows also shows what she did all day while the dust as was blowing.Tells the story of how the dust started and why it started.The time it went from and the time that it ended.

I thought the book Out of the Dust was in a way boring the whole time, but it was still a good book to read. This book really taught me a lot about loniness. It was very well written and the plot was very unusual. The plot was very dramatical and it painted a very vivid picture that I can imagine. It had great historical information. I was really touched on how the main character acted to her mothers death. This book is anything but action packed; however this is still a fantastic book to enjoy and read.

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. It was fun to learn about how a family interacted then and the dust. The girl did a great job explaining her life in detail but not making it to detailed to where it got very boring.

sad. I actually read this one on my own only to realize we would be reading it later that year for school. It was written very well. Unlike many books in the sense that it was in journal form but written from the viewpoint of a young girl with bad things flying at her in every direction (metaphorically speaking of course...) but trying her hardest to see the light. I would reccommend this one for the expierence but let me warn you it is certainly a sad one.

For the most part I got really bored easily. I mean come on you pretty much can predict what's going to happen next, more dust. Although I was grasped a little by the story line. You really have no idea that the girl was thatr miserable. I would recomened this book to a person who likes slightly boring books.

PS, Hi Ms. Schultz and class!

Out of the Dust is one of the best books I've ever read! It's about a girl named Billie Jo, whose life has changed forever her mom's gone along with her baby brother. Her Dad won't face it, and the only thing that will make her happy which is the piano, and it is impossible with her wounded hands. She lives in a dust storm, so their crops will not grow. In the end she finds happiness again at last.

(...)

I liked this book because of the discription of the dust bowl and how it affected her life, and what she and her family did to survive it. It talks about how some people left, some stayed stubornly, and others died. It also talks about the rabbit kill a bit, and what the other animals loked like. Also I like how the poeple recievedmoney they needed.

The novel, Out of the Dust was very well written. Ms.Hesse made me feel like I was right there with Billie Jo in most moments. During the dust storms I could almost feel the dust pressing on my chest, smothering me, choking my senses, all thanks to Ms.Hesse's vivid imagery. I could almost feel the dust clogging my nose and mouth. Karen Hesse's exceptional adjective choices drew me into the story quickly making me want to read more and more. I also liked the way Billie Jo's poems seemed to dance across the page, especially when she was talking about playing the piano. I liked how Ms.Hesse made Billie Jo's life so real. Billie Jo had her up times and down times just like all of us. This book was a good read. Out of ten I would give this book an eight, because it was so easy to read and was written so well.

I didn't like Out of the Dust very much because it's mainly about people suffering; like when the mother got badly burned or when the father got skin cancer. Since the book takes place in The Dust Bowl, the setting is very dry and dusty, so the book makes me thirsty when I read it.
Out of the Dust is written in a very strange way that I have never seen before; it is composed of many poems that tell the story, which makes it easy to read.
Out of the Dust is about a teenage girl, Billy Jo, who lives in the Oklahoma panhandle in the Dust Bowl. She burns herself and her mother in a freak accident. The mother died along with Billy Jo's unborn baby brother. Billy Jo, unable to play the piano anymore because of her wounds, becomes very miserable.
Want to know more? Why don't you go read the book?

Out of the Dust is about a girl named Billie Jo and her father. Her mother dies bacaause she gets burned badly. Her father always wanted a little boy so that is why Billie Jo has a boy name. Her mother has a little boy named Franklin,but he dies at birth. She and her father have to go through several dust storms together, but they survive them all.

As an adult and mother, I have read several Newberry Award winners and other Hesse books and this is a stunning example of how great children's literature can be. I am awed by Hesse's literary style and the information conveyed through the series of poems . I recommend this book whole heartedledly and will encourage my book group to read it.

I really liked this book "Out of the Dust" because it got me closer to history. On what I mean by that is not everyday people want to know what happend back then. Most people don't want to learn at all. What made me want to read this without a teacher telling me what to read when to read. This book gives feelings and a piece of history.

The Dust Bowl is raging on and Billie Jo is in the middle of it. Her family is struggling to keep their farm in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Billie Jo's mother wants to move but her father is convinced that he can make something grow. Then,when the family finds out that Billie Jo's mother is going to have a baby boy, everyone was overjoyed. Everything seemed perfect. But, one day a tragic accident occures. When the baby comes, Billie Jo's little brother and her mother both die. Billie Jo is lost and confused without her mother. Nothing is right anymore.
This was a GREAT, GREAT book! Karen Hesse captures you with free verse poems that make up the whole book. Your heart will be taken along in the journey with all the characters in this book. People of all ages will love this book no matter what.

This book is a emotional story about a girl that has a dead mother,a guilty life,and people to forgive.This book is held in the dust bowl.A hot,dry,and a tough place to live in.After she sets fire to her mother with a pail of kerosene,she feels guilty, and her father ignores her.After some other emotional events,she learns that she has to forgive her dad for putting the bucket there,but more importantly, she needs to forgive herself.
This book is an inspiring story of different emotions and tough times.It is all written in patterens and free verse,which show the current emotions.The book has a lot of real-life things,such as skin cancer from the hot whether and death. Soon Billie Jo,the main character,will learn that if one thing goes wrong,there will still be a lot of other good things.

Personally I think that Out of the Dust wasn't all that bad.
I disliked most of the book. However there were some interesting points. I feel that it was a very well written historical fiction novel. Although the book did not appeal to me as well as it did to some other students, it does have a creative ending. It was weird, in an exciting way.
I believe that some entries in Out of the Dust would be a reliable primary source because it told us about the Dust Bowl in the early 1930's. There were many facts relating to the Dust Bowl. For example the crops had suffered greatly that year. Many farmers were losing much money. During this natural disaster, the dust was so thick that you were up to your knees in it.
The analogies in the book were well thought out. For example, near the end of the book the father began to sing and Billy Jo stated that he sounded like a car engine short of gas. Speaking of flammables, the one event that kept you on the edge of your seat was the cause of Ma's death. It was horrible at that. Only I'm not going to tell it to you in case your in the middle of reading the book. The book all in all was in some ways mind boggling yet simultaneously heartbreaking.

I gave Out of the Dust 3 ½ stars because I thought it could have been better. The tale of Billie Jo, growing up in the Dust Bowl and her life was really heart breaking; but the fact that it was written in blank verse poems made it boring. The plot was excellent and I thought it would have been much more moving if it had more descriptions that couldn't be reached by putting it in poem form. Many of the poems were really well written, but it was only a few out of 100. Also, the book was recommended for children ages 9-12.It should have been recommended for ages 7-10 for the vocabulary was elementary, and the plot was vary easy to follow. I did, however, like the way the book moved quickly. So I would recommend this book if you like poetry and a new style of telling a life story.

Out of the Dust
Out of the Dust was a book that I wouldn't recommend to other people. This book is about a girl that lives in the dust bowl and what she goes through. In the book there is very little writing about the actual dust storms and how they were. I thought that when I was going to read this book that there would be more descriptive events and how the dust bowl came about and it would be more historical and I would learn more than I already knew. I thought that the reading went very slowly and there was not enough action in this book. I give this book 3 out of 5 star because I think that people with a historical background of this event would take it more personally and possibly enjoy it. I also give this book 3 out of 5 stars because I liked that the stories was written in pomes and how all the pomes come together to form one big story.

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 brighten my spirit and enrich my mind. Despite my obviously intense loathing of this book, notice I did not use the word "trash" to describe it and that's because it isn't. In fact, it's a very well-written book, done in free verse style. While the author posesses skill, I could not bring myself to enjoy this book. Why?
It chronicles a piece of history, the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, to be exact. We watch as Billie Jo, a helpless little girl, loses everyone and everything she cares for. Her mother and unborn brother? Dead. Burned to death. Her father? Alive but seemingly dead, in a trance-like state as if he is amidst a literal out-of-body experience. The man's got to grieve.
Billy Jo talks, in her free-verse diary, about her family's (or what's left of it) crops being destroyed by the storms. THERE IS NO HOPE FOR ANYONE! EVERYONE DIES! I usually detest bubblegum-happy endings that I sometimes find in YA fluff I'm often drawn to at Borders and Barnes, but I was almost wishing for a happy ending in poor little Billie Jo's case.
Hesse seems drawn to depressing topics - maybe everyone around her croaked, who knows? She is talented, I'll give her that - and I do rather like LETTERS TO RIFKA, which I would recommend instead of this book.

I think that the novel Out of the Dust was an ok book. It is made of a series of poems writen by the main character Billy Jo. The author of this book is Karen Hesse. It takes place in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. This novel is only 227 pages long and the peom set up makes it a very quick read. It was realy hard to distinguish between the rising action, climax, and falling action of this book though. So really you feel like something is going to happen but it never does. All the main character talks about is how dusty it is and how she wants to leave. The dust and wind is so bad that they can't grow the wheat they need to survive. The only real events that happen in the book are that the mother gets burned by Billy Jo and later dies giving birth to a baby that just dies, and Billy Jo finally runs away from her Father and the dust at the end but she just comes back.

Out of the Dust was a good to great book. The book showed a good reality on how the Great Depression in the Dust Bowl was like. The book is about a young girl named Billie Jo. One accident changed her for the rest of her life. Without her mother at the age of 14, she is having a very hard time getting along with her father. She leaves home to run away from the dust bowl, but later finds out that the dust was apart of her, and made her who so was, and that what she was mad at her father for, she was doing to him. Finally, she returns home two days after she leaves her home, to find her father and another woman named Louise there to greet her and to live there lives together. but Billie Jo doesn't exactly accept Louise at first, for fear that she will lose her father to her.

"In the kitchen she is my mom, in the barns, in the fields she is my daddy's wife, but in the parlor she is something different." My favorite poem is dazzled. I like that poem because she talks about her family. Family is the most important thing in anybody's life. Billy Joe explains her parents in this poem. She talks about them as if they were her best friends. She also explains the important thing in her house, and tells whom they were given to and by whom. Billy Joe also tells how her mom taught her how to play the piano on her fifth birthday. I think that the book Out of the Dust should be read by middle school kids because a few parts are hard to understand. Karen Hesse wrote this poem with lots of free verse. I think that is what makes the book so well-written.

this book was a boring book. the cover was even boring. it is all about a family that started with 3 people but ended up with 2 because billiejo's mother had a baby but died right after and the baby died too. ths book is sad and all but it keeps on repeating the same thing over and over again. i have never read a book that is all poems that tell a story that reapeats everything at least twice. there is not much to say about this book because it wasn't all that exciting. all i can say is that i wouldn't tell one of my friends about this boring book. But im not the one that is stoping you from reading this book because everyone has a different opinion about everything so you could maybe try it if you like and see what you think of it and maybe you can write a review of your own.

I read Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. The book is about a girl named Billy Jo. She lives in the early 1930's, in Oklahoma. There are many dust storms, so her family has not had much luck with crops. Soon, Billy Jo's mom dies through her own fault. Problems start without mom around, and Billy Jo and her dad are not very close. Karen Hesse, the author, expreses Billy Jo's feelings in poetry. The story really sounds possible, it talks about a strong girl who can really be on her own. I really liked the like poetry in this book. So far it has been one of the best books I've ever read. The book had places where you could not put the book down. This book won the Newbery Medal!

Out of the Dust is a book about a girl named Billy Joe. It is in the dust bowl in 1934. One day Billy Joe was asked by one of the town bands to play piano. Her brother and mother die when she is only thirteen years old. Her dad and her get happy again at the end of the book.

I give Out of the Dust five stars. It is one of the best books I have ever read. It was a good because it was interesting and I would highly recommend this book.

I liked this book very much. I rated it 4 stars because it was very good. It kept me interested while I was reading. I liked how realistic this book was. I learned a lot about Oklahoma and what it is like to live in a Dust Bowl. I know that I wouldn't want to live there. It was such a sad book, however. It made me really feel bad when Billy Jo lost her mom and her little brother and was so very lonely. I wished it could have been a little more happier than it was. It did have a very good ending though with her father coming around and showing her how much he loved her and him getting remarried. I would suggest to any of my friends to read this book because I know that they would love it. I really learned a lot while reading this story written by Karen Hesse.

The book out of the dust by; Karen Hesse was a great book, about a young girl who lives dearing the time of the dust boul. It tells about a girl and her life dearing the dust boul. This was a great book as a rating I give it a 4 because I didn't like the ending but becides that this book was great and I would recomend it to aneyone.

I think tis book was a pretty boring book. I give it one star for historic facts.
This book is a slow going book. You get lost with the topic like 'is she talking about a lilak or an apple?'.
It's a book about a girl in the 1920's, living in the dust bowl.Billy Jo get's stuck in the middle of a disasterand can't play piano or see her ma anymore.

I didn't like it becuz it was boring and it wasnt interesting to me. I would recommend it to a person that likes boring books. I wouldnt recommend it becuz if u wanna read a good book its not "Out of the Dust" cuz like I said before its so freakin BORING... LOL but anywayz that is wht I think bout "Out of the dust" Well if u read it u well knw wht im talkin bout...

Lata

P.B

"And I strech my fingers over the keys and I play." This quote is of great signifigance because Billie Jo can finally play the piano again. It was a long hard road for Billie Jo Kelby. From running away to California or to watching her mother die it seemed that buried under tidal waves of dust and tons of dead wheat no luck would luck would ever come to her. All she had was ripped away when her scorche hands could not play the piano. I particularly liked all the metaphors and how Billie Jo beat the odds and succeeded. Some metaphors are "Ma was a column of fire"(Hesse, 61) and "brown earth rained down from the sky"(Hesse, 143). This book was not cheerful but extremely melancholy. This book is best suited for ages 12 and up.

This book is so moving and powerful that it was very hard for me to put it down once I began. I read the entire book in one night. Billie Jo's journal entries were very touching and makes you want to be there to experience what she was going through. The author did an excellent job with Billie Jo's character and her writing style is so descriptive and imaginable.

Imagine growing up in Oklahoma during the depression, working for only a nickle or dime; thinking this was a lot of money. Imagine seeing your mother on fire and there's really nothing you can do to help her or to ease her pain and suffering. Well, despite these adversities, Billie Jo, at the age of fourteen, triumphed. This book shows the importance of strength and faith in a time when despair is overwhelming.

Out of the Dust is about a 14 year old girl who lives with her ma and pa. Her name is Billie Jo. She lives in the Panhandle of Oklahoma. Her ma gets pregnet. There was an accident. She has the baby, and it was a boy. A few hours later her ma died. Before Billie Jo's ma died they named the baby Franklin. The baby died later on that night, so they buried baby Franklin with Billie Jos ma together. Billie Jo's father went out drinking with the emergency money. Aftr that night, he decised to go to night school. The only reason he wants to go to night school is for a new wife. I gave this book 4 stars, because it teaches people about the Dust Bowl. I learned about the dust storms that happenedin the Panhandle. You will have to read the rest to see what happens.

The book Out of the Dust was a very intriguing book to read but also very depressing. This book wasn't very enjoyable to me because it made me sad to read a story about a girl, around my age, whose family just about disintegrates in the dust and she is left alone with no one but her speechless father to talk to. Although this book was not very enjoyable for me to read, it had some good morals to it. Leave the past behind you and work with the future was one of the morals I concluded from the story. The book also made me think about life how it was back in the 1930's and made me thankful for what I have now and how good I have it. Read the book Out of the Dust and you will be astonished by all of Billie Jo's heartbreaking tragedies she lives through.

I think this book was interesting. It was a story of the many difficlties of the dust bowls from a young girls point of view. Many hardships and sorrows were shared between Billie Jo, her ma, and her pa. Although her pa wanted to get through the dust still standing. He was willing to risk everything just to get a good harvest.

Karen Hesse's poetic writing presents a complex character that has matured beyond her age and envelopes the reader from the very beginning. Because the novel is written using poetry, it allows the reader to move quickly through the story. This does not however, compromise the figurative language, symbolism, and themes present throughout. Details of the story appear to be authentic, but no author's note or afterword is provided to describe what has been fictionalized. Character and setting are well developed and facilitate the movement of the story. The story is strong and inspiring. It could be used in many facets within the classroom including research of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, exploring the relationships within families, and defining the meaning of "home."

Out of the Dust is about the Oklahoma dust bowl,and how Billy Jo and her family had to do to survive threw it.Billy Jo is a only child and soon to have a brother until a terrible accident happend.The terrible accident was that mom died giving birth to Franklin the soon to be baby brother.Most of the people in the community blamed it on Billy Jo because she spilt the kerosine on mom wich caused mom to get sick.In the inside Billy Jo new it wasent her fault and that she couldent do anything to help because her hands were so burnt that she couldent give mom water and the whole time she was trying to help, Billy Jo's dad was out getting drunk.I personaly liked the book and i think the age group for thise book would be 11 years of age and pluse.

I liked the book because it was written in poems not chapters.

the part I did not like was when her mother and brother died.

I recamend this book to mostly anyone.I hope you will read this book.It's interesting cause it makes you want to keep reading.

I give the book 5 stars!!*****

I thought this book was amazing! It was spectacular how the auther wrote it in her point of view the emmotions were not just "i was sad" but instead she would put real emotion into it and i loved the criterea the used the freestyle poem was such a good idea and it turned out great! That is why i gave it four stars.

Out Of The Dust by Karen Hesse is an excellent book about a girl named Billie Jo who lives with her mom and dad during the Dust Bowl. From the first page of the book I was hooked I had to keep reading.I enjoyed this book very much and reccomend it to everyone to read. On a scale from 1-10 I would give this book a 10.

I think the book Out of the Dust was a well written book by Karen Hesse. It explained to me what the dust storm was actually like and how people had to live and suffer through all of it. On a 1-10 rating scale, I would give this book a 9. I would rate it a 9 because even though there was a lot of action, there were some bad parts to it. Like the part where Karen Hesse said that her mother "erupted" into flames.I think that word is a little dramatic. I think the part where Billie Jo tried to put out the flames with her hands was very brave. Even though her hands were severly burned and because of that her life had been changed forever. I really think this book was good and it gave me a better understanding of the Dust Bowl.

I think this book is for little kids like 8-10 because it is very easy to ready but it is also very very boring and sad at the same time.But i think there was no point for the writer to write this i think she wasted her time even though it was about history i think i shouldve read a different book.The weird part about this book is that is it's a poetry book.I think i could've written a better book.It was'nt very adenturess at all because its like...she got on the train her food got stolen and that dudes picture was there i mean come on it was retarded.Then she just goes back home i mean...what was the whole point of that?!?!?!?!I think she should'nt have gott'in that award at all.It was also very slow it kept freakin sayin the dust,the dust,someone dies,more dust,someone dies,more dust i mean that was pretty dull.If she made any money on this book i dont think she deserves it.I recommend this book for perople who just wanna read and like boring books and poetry like books and books that repaeat things over like...dust,someone dies,more dust,cant grow crops,dust,someone dies,cant grow crops,and so on and so on.It's also not very exciting at all!Thats why i give this very boring book a ONE STAR...hahahahahahahahahahahaha i cant believe she even wrote this book!

I think somepeople should read out of the dust. Because you can see how some family have to go through the same things. Some people think the book was bad. But it was very good. That the end ever thing in the beinning. Have happen in the end. Because dad was talk a another woman. And she help they a lot.

For the most part I got really bored easily. I mean come on you pretty much can predict what's going to happen next, more dust. Although I was grasped a little by the story line. You really have no idea that the girl was thatr miserable. I would recomened this book to a person who likes slightly boring books.

Out of the Dust is at once intensely tragic and staunchly hopeful. Karen Hesse skillfully uses straightforward, sparse language to create images that have continually returned to my mind--milk glasses made chocolate brown with dust, Billie Joe's scarred hands, the dust-covered piano keys--days after reading. Hesse doesn't clutter her poetry with excess background information, characterization, or description, but rather relies on carefully crafted anecdotes, images, and dialogue to gently acquaint readers with her well-developed characters and grippingly rendered setting. As I read, I became increasingly eager to research the Dust Bowl, discuss the book with others who had read it, and introduce my students to Karen Hesse as an author.

This book was not the best book I've ever read but I thought it was very exiting to read. Some of the things in the book were very sad and almost unbearable to read or think about but it tought you alot about what the people went through out there. I thought it was a pretty good book for our class to read.

Billie Jo, the 13 year old narrator of the story, tells of her life in the Oklahoma panhandle during the mid 1930's. She lives with her mother and father, has a hunger for playing fierce piano and a fondness for apples. Billie Jo has to face all the problems that came with living in the Dust Bowl, but to make things worse, a terrible accident has changed her life forever. Her mother has passed away and Billie Jo and her father are going through tough times. I gave Out of the Dust 4 out of 5 stars. I thought that is was very interesting that Karen Hesse could tell the entire story in free verse poems. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about historical events or wants to learn more about the Dust Bowl.

I thought Out of the Dust was a very well written novel. It brings the reader inside the life of the main character, Billy Jo. Billy Jo goes through many changes and hard times throughout the novel. She must learn to adapt and become familiar with changes in her life. The novel is very descriptive and makes it seem like the reader is right next to Billy Jo as she is walking through the dust storm trying to get home in time. Karen Hesse has a very unique way of writing this novel. Instead of the usual format for writing, Karen used poems to express the feelings of Billy Jo. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to other readers that are searching for a great book to read.

Out of the Dust was an exteremly good book. It was about a 13 year old girl who went through a tremendous amount of pain. Billie Jo's mother dies from just a big accident. Billie places the blame squarely upon her own shoulders. Billie Jo was also in the accident and has become scarred for life. She is unable to do the only thing she truly loved doing, playing the piano. Even after she has healed from the accident she just is hurt too much my the memory of her mother to even try to start over. Billie also feels as if she has been left alone by her father because she doesn't think he cares for her. This book is a powerful story of a girl who uses her strength, courage, and love to overcome all obstacles in her way.

"In the kitchen she is my mom, in the barns, in the fields she is my daddy's wife, but in the parlor she is something different." My favorite poem is dazzled. I like that poem because she talks about her family. Family is the most important thing in anybody's life. Billy Joe explains her parents in this poem. She talks about them as if they were her best friends. She also explains the important thing in her house, and tells whom they were given to and by whom. Billy Joe also tells how her mom taught her how to play the piano on her fifth birthday. I think that the book Out of the Dust should be read by middle school kids because a few parts are hard to understand. Karen Hesse wrote this poem with lots of free verse. I think that is what makes the book so well-written.

this book was a boring book. the cover was even boring. it is all about a family that started with 3 people but ended up with 2 because billiejo's mother had a baby but died right after and the baby died too. ths book is sad and all but it keeps on repeating the same thing over and over again. i have never read a book that is all poems that tell a story that reapeats everything at least twice. there is not much to say about this book because it wasn't all that exciting. all i can say is that i wouldn't tell one of my friends about this boring book. But im not the one that is stoping you from reading this book because everyone has a different opinion about everything so you could maybe try it if you like and see what you think of it and maybe you can write a review of your own.

I read Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. The book is about a girl named Billy Jo. She lives in the early 1930's, in Oklahoma. There are many dust storms, so her family has not had much luck with crops. Soon, Billy Jo's mom dies through her own fault. Problems start without mom around, and Billy Jo and her dad are not very close. Karen Hesse, the author, expreses Billy Jo's feelings in poetry. The story really sounds possible, it talks about a strong girl who can really be on her own. I really liked the like poetry in this book. So far it has been one of the best books I've ever read. The book had places where you could not put the book down. This book won the Newbery Medal!

Out of the Dust is a book about a girl named Billy Joe. It is in the dust bowl in 1934. One day Billy Joe was asked by one of the town bands to play piano. Her brother and mother die when she is only thirteen years old. Her dad and her get happy again at the end of the book.

I give Out of the Dust five stars. It is one of the best books I have ever read. It was a good because it was interesting and I would highly recommend this book.

I liked this book very much. I rated it 4 stars because it was very good. It kept me interested while I was reading. I liked how realistic this book was. I learned a lot about Oklahoma and what it is like to live in a Dust Bowl. I know that I wouldn't want to live there. It was such a sad book, however. It made me really feel bad when Billy Jo lost her mom and her little brother and was so very lonely. I wished it could have been a little more happier than it was. It did have a very good ending though with her father coming around and showing her how much he loved her and him getting remarried. I would suggest to any of my friends to read this book because I know that they would love it. I really learned a lot while reading this story written by Karen Hesse.

The book out of the dust by; Karen Hesse was a great book, about a young girl who lives dearing the time of the dust boul. It tells about a girl and her life dearing the dust boul. This was a great book as a rating I give it a 4 because I didn't like the ending but becides that this book was great and I would recomend it to aneyone.

I think tis book was a pretty boring book. I give it one star for historic facts.
This book is a slow going book. You get lost with the topic like 'is she talking about a lilak or an apple?'.
It's a book about a girl in the 1920's, living in the dust bowl.Billy Jo get's stuck in the middle of a disasterand can't play piano or see her ma anymore.

I didn't like it becuz it was boring and it wasnt interesting to me. I would recommend it to a person that likes boring books. I wouldnt recommend it becuz if u wanna read a good book its not "Out of the Dust" cuz like I said before its so freakin BORING... LOL but anywayz that is wht I think bout "Out of the dust" Well if u read it u well knw wht im talkin bout...

Lata

P.B

"And I strech my fingers over the keys and I play." This quote is of great signifigance because Billie Jo can finally play the piano again. It was a long hard road for Billie Jo Kelby. From running away to California or to watching her mother die it seemed that buried under tidal waves of dust and tons of dead wheat no luck would luck would ever come to her. All she had was ripped away when her scorche hands could not play the piano. I particularly liked all the metaphors and how Billie Jo beat the odds and succeeded. Some metaphors are "Ma was a column of fire"(Hesse, 61) and "brown earth rained down from the sky"(Hesse, 143). This book was not cheerful but extremely melancholy. This book is best suited for ages 12 and up.

This book is so moving and powerful that it was very hard for me to put it down once I began. I read the entire book in one night. Billie Jo's journal entries were very touching and makes you want to be there to experience what she was going through. The author did an excellent job with Billie Jo's character and her writing style is so descriptive and imaginable.

Imagine growing up in Oklahoma during the depression, working for only a nickle or dime; thinking this was a lot of money. Imagine seeing your mother on fire and there's really nothing you can do to help her or to ease her pain and suffering. Well, despite these adversities, Billie Jo, at the age of fourteen, triumphed. This book shows the importance of strength and faith in a time when despair is overwhelming.

Out of the Dust is about a 14 year old girl who lives with her ma and pa. Her name is Billie Jo. She lives in the Panhandle of Oklahoma. Her ma gets pregnet. There was an accident. She has the baby, and it was a boy. A few hours later her ma died. Before Billie Jo's ma died they named the baby Franklin. The baby died later on that night, so they buried baby Franklin with Billie Jos ma together. Billie Jo's father went out drinking with the emergency money. Aftr that night, he decised to go to night school. The only reason he wants to go to night school is for a new wife. I gave this book 4 stars, because it teaches people about the Dust Bowl. I learned about the dust storms that happenedin the Panhandle. You will have to read the rest to see what happens.

The book Out of the Dust was a very intriguing book to read but also very depressing. This book wasn't very enjoyable to me because it made me sad to read a story about a girl, around my age, whose family just about disintegrates in the dust and she is left alone with no one but her speechless father to talk to. Although this book was not very enjoyable for me to read, it had some good morals to it. Leave the past behind you and work with the future was one of the morals I concluded from the story. The book also made me think about life how it was back in the 1930's and made me thankful for what I have now and how good I have it. Read the book Out of the Dust and you will be astonished by all of Billie Jo's heartbreaking tragedies she lives through.

I think this book was interesting. It was a story of the many difficlties of the dust bowls from a young girls point of view. Many hardships and sorrows were shared between Billie Jo, her ma, and her pa. Although her pa wanted to get through the dust still standing. He was willing to risk everything just to get a good harvest.

Karen Hesse's poetic writing presents a complex character that has matured beyond her age and envelopes the reader from the very beginning. Because the novel is written using poetry, it allows the reader to move quickly through the story. This does not however, compromise the figurative language, symbolism, and themes present throughout. Details of the story appear to be authentic, but no author's note or afterword is provided to describe what has been fictionalized. Character and setting are well developed and facilitate the movement of the story. The story is strong and inspiring. It could be used in many facets within the classroom including research of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, exploring the relationships within families, and defining the meaning of "home."

Out of the Dust is about the Oklahoma dust bowl,and how Billy Jo and her family had to do to survive threw it.Billy Jo is a only child and soon to have a brother until a terrible accident happend.The terrible accident was that mom died giving birth to Franklin the soon to be baby brother.Most of the people in the community blamed it on Billy Jo because she spilt the kerosine on mom wich caused mom to get sick.In the inside Billy Jo new it wasent her fault and that she couldent do anything to help because her hands were so burnt that she couldent give mom water and the whole time she was trying to help, Billy Jo's dad was out getting drunk.I personaly liked the book and i think the age group for thise book would be 11 years of age and pluse.

I liked the book because it was written in poems not chapters.

the part I did not like was when her mother and brother died.

I recamend this book to mostly anyone.I hope you will read this book.It's interesting cause it makes you want to keep reading.

I give the book 5 stars!!*****

I thought this book was amazing! It was spectacular how the auther wrote it in her point of view the emmotions were not just "i was sad" but instead she would put real emotion into it and i loved the criterea the used the freestyle poem was such a good idea and it turned out great! That is why i gave it four stars.

Out Of The Dust by Karen Hesse is an excellent book about a girl named Billie Jo who lives with her mom and dad during the Dust Bowl. From the first page of the book I was hooked I had to keep reading.I enjoyed this book very much and reccomend it to everyone to read. On a scale from 1-10 I would give this book a 10.

I think the book Out of the Dust was a well written book by Karen Hesse. It explained to me what the dust storm was actually like and how people had to live and suffer through all of it. On a 1-10 rating scale, I would give this book a 9. I would rate it a 9 because even though there was a lot of action, there were some bad parts to it. Like the part where Karen Hesse said that her mother "erupted" into flames.I think that word is a little dramatic. I think the part where Billie Jo tried to put out the flames with her hands was very brave. Even though her hands were severly burned and because of that her life had been changed forever. I really think this book was good and it gave me a better understanding of the Dust Bowl.

Out of the Dust is written by Karen Hesse in a very unique format. To me the poems on each page made the book very interesting allowing the author to give more and more detail about every situation. For example when describing the dust storms throughout the book she makes you feel you are involved in the actual event. The way Karen Hesse involves a familie's point of view, makes you understand the suffering many endured. My favorite part of the book is when Billie Jo feels like she has a burden on her for her mother's death. The way she fights for people to look past her personal tradegy and to who she really is as a person, makes me say that this girl is a strong person.

Dustbowl life during the Depression years (1934, not 2011 LOL!).
Reads like POETRY .. i.e.,
"And I'm learning, watching Daddy, that you can stay
in one place
and still grow."
Great story, with a HAPPY ending.

The theme of this book made it a great reading choice. I learned that survival is tuff but you can survive it. It's important to forgive people. Forgiveness and survival go together in such a way that it's unexplainable for me. I hope I read more books like this in the near future.

I am not a big fan of poetry but this book is an exception. I grew up hearing the hardships and strifes that my own parents had during the 30s' and this book brought home how hard my own parent's had during this time. I've seen newsreels of "Dust Storms" but this book made me feel I was living with that horror. My sister-in-law recommended this book to me and I am pleased she did.
I will be recommending this book to our local library.

Out of the Dust was a wonderful book. I didn't feel that I had to read it. Most books are not fun, but with Out of the Dust I couldn't put it down. I love the charaters and the way the author made you feel like you were there, and that you were going though the same pain, and life changing decisions as Billie Jo (the main charactor.)
I also loved the way the author wrote the book. And people say to never judge a book by it's cover, well, i did and i am glad I did because not only do i love the story I love the cover too.
If the author, Karen Hesse, has any other books,I know they must be as good as Out of the Dust, because she is an AWESOME writer!

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse was about a girl who is involved in the accident that kills her mother. I enjoyed this book because it really tells how a girl of her age would feel. It is a little depressing so I recommend it to those of you who can handle and enjoy sad stories.

This book is about A girl named Joe. Joe is a girl who lives out in the middle of nowhere. She has a mother that is pregnent, and her dad is always very mad. Joe is a very good piano player,untill one day a fire in the kitchen broke lose.Joe's hands were burnt when she was trying to tame the fire, and her mother was burnt very bad, then they took her to the hospital. When she was at the hospital she started to have her baby.After she had her baby she died because of the wounds from the fire.The baby also died because of the fire, before the mother died she called the baby Franklin. After the president at that time.

I gave the book 4 stars because there is allot of detail about how the storm was and the different kinds of storms there were. And about the names that they came up with to name the storms.What I also liked about the type of book is that it described Billie JO's life. I can go along with what she had to put up with by living there like the bad storms. Because of the different kinds of storms that I've been in and the decisions I had to make like leaving that state that sec or not. But I was in a different state where there where storms like what they went through but not as badland the story made me think of what I would do if I was in that situation.

I liked it pretty well because Billie Jo had alot of sad things happen to her and her family and she handeled them very responsibly and mature about everything. I would prefer kids to read this book.I think they would like it. I would give this book to kids ages 9-12

My 4th grade granddaughter has to read and write on this book. It is totally inappropriate for that age and maybe even middle school. Just because it won an award does make it a good book for schools to assign.

The book out of the Dust is a very thoughtful book,meaning that it was really sad like when her mother died in a fire and it also her not yet born baby brother died too. Also when you are reading this book you can really get into it where you don't want to put in down! Another thing is thst Billie Jo's hands get burned really bad and it hurts so bad that Billie Jo can't play the piano and that makes her reallt sad. When her mother dies Billie Jo thinks it's all her fault and her father stops talking to her. So when that happens she starts playing the piano. I'm going to stop so I won't give the book away. So I think everyone shold read it!!!!!!

The character and tale of Billy Jo has remained in my mind as a good story does. I found the poetic style different and captivating in its ability to create the sparse setting of the Oaklahoma dustbowl in the 1920's. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.

This book is inspirering to me and it can be to many. It teaches you to never give up on your dreams. The young Billie Joe love piano and dispite her troubles she still finds a way to play. I would recommend this book to people of all age's. Read it I did. =]

I gave this book 5 stars because, it told good details. It desribe the setting it made me think that I was there. I thot the author gave good voice. She didn't us powerful words.It was easy to follow. I could not put it down. I want to read another book by Karen Hesse.

This book is inspirering to me and it can be to many. It teaches you to never give up on your dreams. The young Billie Joe love piano and dispite her troubles she still finds a way to play. I would recommend this book to people of all age's. Read it I did. =]

Billy Jo is a girl whose father always wanted a boy. Billy Jo has to face her mother's death, burnt hands and that she is unable to play the piano. Her mother died giving birth to her little brother who died after a few months.Billy Jo has to face the terible dust storms and her father's new girl friend.

Karen Hesse will capture the heart of every reader with OUT OF THE DUST. Hesse creates the story of Billie Joe in away I have never read before. I hated to put the book down. It is the first book I have read that ended in rejoice and happiness after such tremoil.

THis is a great book!! It's about a girl named Billie Jo. She's living in America during the depression. It's a pretty average story, but it's written in the most beautiful way!! It's like every page is a poem that doesn't rhyme. Karen Hesse has a way with words!!

If you first look at the book you think "Great, another book of long, boring poetry." But as the story unwinds, you find that it is more, oh, so much more! This heart warming book of a girl during the Great Dust Bowl is absolutely...well...magnificent!

my friends and i have read this book a hole bunch of times. we think that it's a great book. it's about a girl that lives in a place that is always has dust storm type things. we recomend this book to people that like kind of sad stories.it becomes a good book in the end. we hope you like the book

Well, i thought this was a really good book but she could be more emotional about her mother dying than the scars on her hands. Other than that, the good parts were that it was a really good book and it wasnt the boring historical fiction book that i thought it would be. Definitely read it.

7th Grade Student
I thought that this book was sad and very depressing in certain parts. I don’t think that there is a lot of action and suspense in the story. The only really big part is someone dying and they just mention it all throughout the book. The main character Billie Jo shows courage and strength by getting past tough parts that are happening in her life. One of the only things I liked in the book was the format of it because it is in the free verse format, it makes the book more personal since you are reading the main character narration.
-H

When i started reading Out of the Dust I thought it was kind of boring.Once you start to get in the book it gets really good. Karen Hesse the author did really good on showing symbolizem. I liked how they showed the apples meaning life and death. Also how the dad haveing skin cancer thet showed the he was routing away and was getting towards death. I will probley read this book a second time. If i were to rate this book it would be a 6. If you are over 11 years old and you like peotry and some action you should read this book. I think you would like it. Most of my classmates who i read this book with liked it too. I would recomend it to you. So go to the bookstore and but it now.

This book tells the story of what it might have been like living during the Dust Bowl. "Out of the Dust" also shows a young girls will to escape the sadness and sorrow of her life, but then relizes that the only good thing in her life is her family and what really matters to them.

Out of the Dust is a sad but interesting book. It tells a story of a girl named Billie-Joe who's living in the dust bowl. The story is told through diary entries. The fact that it is written in diary entries makes it easy to relate to her and understand what she's thinking. You could tell how heart broken she was when her mother and baby brother died. In the begining, Billie-Joe just wants to be out of the dust. But in the end, she realizes that the dust is a part of her now, and she can't just leave her father because he was her family and she couldn't just walk out on him. It had a very poetic ending, but it could have been stronger and had a greater impact on the readers.

I disliked Out of the Dust partily because it was in freeverse and because it would never stop. The book topic was also horiable because nothing interesting happened. People died uninterestind deaths. The only reason I read it because I was forced to. I think Out of the Dust was very plain. It took place in Oklahoma during the great depression.

Out Of The Dust, December 9, 2002
Reviewer:a 13 year old reader

Out Of The Dust was a very interesting book. My favorite chapter was summer, because it was really important chapter. It the chapter where mom dies giving birth to Franklin.
I think you should at least be 10 years old to read this book. There are a few big word and it sort of confusing. But it is a really god book for 10 and up.
There is a lot of imagery in this book. One example of imagery is when she wake up and says there is a dust outline of her head. That gave me chills just thinking about it, ahhh.
I gave it 2-5 stars because I am not a big poetry fan but it was an all right book. It had a good story line and lot of personalities.

Billie Jo; an Oklahoma resident during the 1930's. Her life was simple and quaint until a tragic accident occured when she lost her mother, and the use of her hands at the same time. Now scarred and unable to play the piano which she loves, she becomes the mother in the family with her father becoming more distant. Before the accident, Billie Jo would play the piano as Mag Dog; an neighborhood friend, sung his with beautiful voice. When she leaves the dust ridden fields and decides to head out on her own, she finds her self back to the dust. "...you can't forget about what has been in you all along!" I liked this book because it shows a young girl going through the depression hardships,surviving, and finding her way Out of the Dust!

The book Out of The Dust was OK. I felt that the plot was of this book was great. Karen Hesse filled this book with tons of simmiles that meant alot to the characters.(once you've analized them and realized what they mean. Although this book was the most boring book that I have ever read!

Out of the Dust is written by Karen Hesse in a very unique format. To me the poems on each page made the book very interesting allowing the author to give more and more detail about every situation. For example when describing the dust storms throughout the book she makes you feel you are involved in the actual event. The way Karen Hesse involves a familie's point of view, makes you understand the suffering many endured. My favorite part of the book is when Billie Jo feels like she has a burden on her for her mother's death. The way she fights for people to look past her personal tradegy and to who she really is as a person, makes me say that this girl is a strong person.

Billie Jo tells about her life and the struggles which her family faces in the Dust Bowl. Her mother dies of a mistake her father made but is also partially Billie Jo's fault too. She tried helping her mom but only made matters worse by throwing the kerosene on her and starting a huge wave of fire which gave her mother bad burns and also which led to death of her new child. But when she tried to help put the fire out it permanently damaged her hand which then diminished her chances of the only thing she loved, the piano. Meanwhile the father deals with skin cancer and Billie Jo is lost with what to do. This novel written in poetry shows the troubles and hardships of living in the time of the Dust Bowl.

Dustbowl life during the Depression years (1934, not 2011 LOL!).
Reads like POETRY .. i.e.,
"And I'm learning, watching Daddy, that you can stay
in one place
and still grow."
Great story, with a HAPPY ending.

The theme of this book made it a great reading choice. I learned that survival is tuff but you can survive it. It's important to forgive people. Forgiveness and survival go together in such a way that it's unexplainable for me. I hope I read more books like this in the near future.

I am not a big fan of poetry but this book is an exception. I grew up hearing the hardships and strifes that my own parents had during the 30s' and this book brought home how hard my own parent's had during this time. I've seen newsreels of "Dust Storms" but this book made me feel I was living with that horror. My sister-in-law recommended this book to me and I am pleased she did.
I will be recommending this book to our local library.

Out of the Dust was a wonderful book. I didn't feel that I had to read it. Most books are not fun, but with Out of the Dust I couldn't put it down. I love the charaters and the way the author made you feel like you were there, and that you were going though the same pain, and life changing decisions as Billie Jo (the main charactor.)
I also loved the way the author wrote the book. And people say to never judge a book by it's cover, well, i did and i am glad I did because not only do i love the story I love the cover too.
If the author, Karen Hesse, has any other books,I know they must be as good as Out of the Dust, because she is an AWESOME writer!

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse was about a girl who is involved in the accident that kills her mother. I enjoyed this book because it really tells how a girl of her age would feel. It is a little depressing so I recommend it to those of you who can handle and enjoy sad stories.

This book is about A girl named Joe. Joe is a girl who lives out in the middle of nowhere. She has a mother that is pregnent, and her dad is always very mad. Joe is a very good piano player,untill one day a fire in the kitchen broke lose.Joe's hands were burnt when she was trying to tame the fire, and her mother was burnt very bad, then they took her to the hospital. When she was at the hospital she started to have her baby.After she had her baby she died because of the wounds from the fire.The baby also died because of the fire, before the mother died she called the baby Franklin. After the president at that time.

I gave the book 4 stars because there is allot of detail about how the storm was and the different kinds of storms there were. And about the names that they came up with to name the storms.What I also liked about the type of book is that it described Billie JO's life. I can go along with what she had to put up with by living there like the bad storms. Because of the different kinds of storms that I've been in and the decisions I had to make like leaving that state that sec or not. But I was in a different state where there where storms like what they went through but not as badland the story made me think of what I would do if I was in that situation.

so much symbolism. Take "Roots" for example: it is one of the main poems in the book. It tells about the conflict between Billie-Jo and her father. The problem was her father was connected to the land like "Roots". Her father believes that the wheat will grow again. Billie-Jo on the other hand is not connected to the land and wants to move. Her father and the land have a hold on each other, but Billie-Jo is "left out in the dust." Her only escape was her piano, until an accident jeopardized its use. Karen Hesse is a very talented writer, and really deserved the Newbery Medal. I recommend this book to everyone ages 12 and up, because it really makes you appreciate the little things; like clean water.

I liked it pretty well because Billie Jo had alot of sad things happen to her and her family and she handeled them very responsibly and mature about everything. I would prefer kids to read this book.I think they would like it. I would give this book to kids ages 9-12

My 4th grade granddaughter has to read and write on this book. It is totally inappropriate for that age and maybe even middle school. Just because it won an award does make it a good book for schools to assign.

The book out of the Dust is a very thoughtful book,meaning that it was really sad like when her mother died in a fire and it also her not yet born baby brother died too. Also when you are reading this book you can really get into it where you don't want to put in down! Another thing is thst Billie Jo's hands get burned really bad and it hurts so bad that Billie Jo can't play the piano and that makes her reallt sad. When her mother dies Billie Jo thinks it's all her fault and her father stops talking to her. So when that happens she starts playing the piano. I'm going to stop so I won't give the book away. So I think everyone shold read it!!!!!!

The character and tale of Billy Jo has remained in my mind as a good story does. I found the poetic style different and captivating in its ability to create the sparse setting of the Oaklahoma dustbowl in the 1920's. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.

This book is inspirering to me and it can be to many. It teaches you to never give up on your dreams. The young Billie Joe love piano and dispite her troubles she still finds a way to play. I would recommend this book to people of all age's. Read it I did. =]

I gave this book 5 stars because, it told good details. It desribe the setting it made me think that I was there. I thot the author gave good voice. She didn't us powerful words.It was easy to follow. I could not put it down. I want to read another book by Karen Hesse.

This book is inspirering to me and it can be to many. It teaches you to never give up on your dreams. The young Billie Joe love piano and dispite her troubles she still finds a way to play. I would recommend this book to people of all age's. Read it I did. =]

Billy Jo is a girl whose father always wanted a boy. Billy Jo has to face her mother's death, burnt hands and that she is unable to play the piano. Her mother died giving birth to her little brother who died after a few months.Billy Jo has to face the terible dust storms and her father's new girl friend.

Karen Hesse will capture the heart of every reader with OUT OF THE DUST. Hesse creates the story of Billie Joe in away I have never read before. I hated to put the book down. It is the first book I have read that ended in rejoice and happiness after such tremoil.

THis is a great book!! It's about a girl named Billie Jo. She's living in America during the depression. It's a pretty average story, but it's written in the most beautiful way!! It's like every page is a poem that doesn't rhyme. Karen Hesse has a way with words!!

If you first look at the book you think "Great, another book of long, boring poetry." But as the story unwinds, you find that it is more, oh, so much more! This heart warming book of a girl during the Great Dust Bowl is absolutely...well...magnificent!

by Katrina L.
Are you interested in sad stories? Or stories about kids surviving with horrible secrets? Well if you are, you are looking for the sad and true story of: Out Of The Dust?
This is about a girl who dreams to become a famous pianist, but when a terrible tragedy happens she's about to give up. Surviving alone, with only a dad can be very hard, especially when they don't talk to each other.
This book is a must read book, and I couldn't put it down! So if I were you, I'd be on my way to the library and looking for the magnificent book: Out of The Dust!

I read this book for a child lit class. Normally I am not a fan of historical American fiction, especially if it has to do with the west. This book was different. It made no mention of Native American mythology, cowboys or other common themes in books related to this genre. The characters and situations are not far fetched and any adult or child reading this can easily relate to the main characters. I think teachers should be make this required reading, rather than teaching John Steinbeck who often alienates teen readers.

This book was truly amazing. Not only does the story fascinate and engage the reader, but each poem stands on its own as a beautiful and honest pice of writing. This book is fabulous as young adult literature and would be an excellent resource for all teachers, especially those finding it diffuicult to transition between prose and poetry. This is not a difficult read, but it is a fresh and worthwhile one.

This is a great historica document. It show the dramtic tension of this event. For example the part when Billie Jo (the main character) burns her hands and describe how difficult it is to survive during the dust storm. I hope you tat the time to read this book.

Out of the Dust is a wonderfully written novel about the struggles of a courageous young girl living in the times of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. It is an ideal book to use in literature circles in a classroom setting. A metaphoric novel, Out of the Dust is both straight-forward and yet complex at the same time, ideal for an average classroom with varying levels of ability in understanding and interpreting literature. I recommend this book to all students and teachers, as well as any other adult...it is an honest tale of personal and interpersonal struggle told from the viewpoint of a very courageous, fourteen-year-old.

It started this morning when I was looking for a book, and it just stared at me. I had to check it out. As soon as I read the first poem I was hooked. The words are simple, but sometimes can be hard to understand. I read all day, every chance I got. I finish it in the school day. Half in reading and half in homework center. Karen Hesse gives a dazzling account of the dust storms that swept through Oklahoma. It sounded terrible. I think the saddest part was when her mother and baby brother died, and Billy Jo's hands were burnt so badly. I got so mad at her father. But in the end I forgave him. I would reccomend this book to anyone. Get it, somehow or someway!

I don't know how they could have survived the hard times like they did. I also thought the free verse was an interesting style, however, the jumping from subject to subject was somewhat discouraging.

I have read this book and I am leaning to one feeling about the book. I give this book a one. It deserves a one because it the same thing over and over again. You know waht is going to happen next. Dust storm after dust storm came and it bored me dearly. I feel that the author went on about the same thing and made a mountain out of a molehill about dust storms and stuff like that. The one thing I did like about it was some of the poems were good and interesting. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, but if you wanted to try it I would say it's for teens and young adults. This book wasn't one of the best i have ever read in the past.

This is a very short historical fiction written in prose(poetry). It has a different feel and adds to the dramatic feel of it. It is about a young girls experiences and feelings during the Oklahoma dust storms of the time. It has tragedy as well as personal triumph over trials.

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 diary was the exact same way i think of it. It was also very sad,but when she ran away I didnt get that, the way she describes it. her dad never talks to her until her mom dies. that also remindes me about me and my dad. I dont think it ended well it was very boring the last page but it was still very good different amotions so I it 3 starz.

The book is written in nice,figurative language, but it is far too sad. The book starts out like not such a bad story, but then suddenly it hits this spot with terrible sadness and frustration. Yet, it gives far too many details of how terribly some of the people in the story die. Basically what happens in this story in the sad part is when 2 people accidentally make dangerous, careless mistakes, which lead to the killing of 2 other people. When I got to that part, I felt like not reading this book anymore. I can't believe this book received about ten awards.

Out of the Dust written by Karen Hesse is one of the best books that I have ever read. It keeps your interest throughout the book. It is very sad in some chapters. This book is a true story and it really depicts life in Oklahoma. It explains how life would be to live in a dust bowl. I rate this book five stars because it is such an interesting book and it really explains Billy Jo's life almost as if I was there. It makes me feel like I am part of her life and living right there in Oklahoma.

I thought Out of the Dust was a very detailed and descriptive novel. It described the dust bowl with great detail. Billie Jo's thoughts that she put into her poems, gave you a feeling that you, as the reader, were really there. Her descriptions of the dust storms were very detailed, so it was easy to visualize what the dust storms were actually like. Billie Jo also described the everyday life in the dust bowl with great detail. This book gave a very detailed descripition of life in the dust bowl.