Literature Guide: Out of the Dust (Grades 4-8)

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Summary: THIS IS MY BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!
Review: I just finised reading it! That book was great! I liked a lot about this book. One thing that made me cry is when Ma got burned, and when Ma and Baby Franklin died. I feel proud and sorry for Billie Jo. I felt proud of Billie Jo when she played the piano at Palace Theatre. I felt sorry for her when Livie Killian moved away and when Ma and Franklin died. The characters I liked were: Mad Dog Craddock, Billie Jo, Ma, Daddy, Miss Freeland and Arley Wanderdale. I think Mad Dog liked Billie Jo is because she had a good talent playing the piano as it says in the chapter "Me and Mad Dog." I also felt sorry for Billie Jo when she couldn't play the piano anymore because her hands were in a lot of pain.

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Summary: It is about a 14 year old girl and it made me keep going!!!!
Review: My book review on out of the dustis about a 14 year old girl who lives in a poor family.The characters of the story are I,[It dosent say her name.]Ma,Dad,Little brother, and the teachers at her school.The setting is from Winter 1934 to Autumn 1935.I had a hobby of playing the piano but since I have burns on my hands from the accident and that my Ma died,I can't play.You find out what happens in the rest of the book!!

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Summary: This is a beautiful book about a difficult and tragic time.
Review: 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.

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Summary: Excellent Book Must read again and again
Review: Karen Heese's Out of the Dust was excellent. I had to read for 7th grade test and I thought the book was amazing. She gives a great account of the "Dust Bowl" and gave everyone a feel for times in Oklahoma around 1935. The book perfectly dealt with the same ideas I current 14 year old has. A MUST READ. Everyone should read this book. ***** 5 Stars

Rating:
Summary: What an awesome book!
Review: I loved this book. The style of writing was wonderful and made it an easy read. It was wonderful how Billie Joe was able to overcome the hard times.

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Summary: Sad and yet, fascinating!! A great read!!!
Review: 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.

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Summary: Great histrocial fiction book!
Review: An excellent book about the struggles a young girl faces during the dust bowl years. The book had wonderful descriptions which made the story come alive. It made the reader feel like they were part of the story. I would recommend it to anyone.

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Summary: How Sad from the Dusty Country!!!!
Review: 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.

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Summary: A story about a girl, her father, and their Dust!
Review: I thought the story was strong, but the format, which was done in a poetic free-verse was a bit distracting. But, it did show the relationship between the girl and her father well.

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Summary: Great journal, opressive story
Review: Billie Jo is quite a deep thinker at times, and her journal is deeply moving and inspiring. The story is quite depressing, but at least it has a happy ending. It is really her comments about things that made the book for me.