Out+of+the+Dust

= Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse = ​ Set in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, this is the story of 14 year old Billie Jo. Told in diary form as a series of free-verse poems, the book is a realistic portrait of the Depression-era with entries dated from the winter of 1934 through the winter of 1935. //...Literature Learning Center// at: []

Duscussion ideas:

//Free Verse//: The author made an unusual choice when she elected to write this novel as a series of short poems told from the point of view of the main character. In what ways does this format help readers get into the story and understand the main character?

//Historical Fiction//: The author did a great deal of research on life in the dust bowl to help her create authentic setting, events, and characters. Skim through the book for details that seem to reflect facts. What are the most interesting facts you learned about the setting, everyday life in the 1930s?

//Theme:// Forgiveness: What does it take to be able to forgive? Karen Hesse has said that every relationship in the book — not only the relationships between the people, but also the relationships between the people and the land — is about forgiveness. How does Billie Jo show that she has forgiven her father and herself? How does her father show that he has forgiven her, himself, and the land? How does the author suggest that in some ways the land has also forgiven the people for this misuse?

//Title//: Karen Hesse is an author who chooses every word with care. The phrase "out of the dust" appears several times in the book. At one point Billie Jo wants to escape "out of the dust," but later she says "I can't get out of something that is inside me." How does the title of the book reflect on Billie Jo as a person? How does it reflect on the general experience of people at that time? ...from Scholastic teacher's resources: []