Helpful Score: 6
Although this is classified as a children's book, both my mother and I enjoyed it very much. Not just for kids!
Helpful Score: 6
Written as a free style poem, this book is heart wrenching and compelling. Vivid imagery effectively forces the reader to go through the same sorrows and joys that Billy Joe experiences. I could not put it down until I was finished.
Excellent book about the dust bowl. Hesse is a great writer and this story is very captivating.
Helpful Score: 4
Newbery Medal Winner - unique format, sort of like a diary in blank verse.
Helpful Score: 4
This book made me cry and I LOVED it!
Helpful Score: 4
Excellent story set during the dust bowl. Told from a teenager's viewpoint in freeverse.
Helpful Score: 4
This book is sad and intriguing at the same time. It's written in poetry-form and is a hard book to put down
Helpful Score: 3
awesome book! great for adults and kids!
Helpful Score: 2
Younger readers may enjoy most, junior high and below. "A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better - playing the piano - is impossible with her wounded hands. To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma - and in the surprising landscape of her own heart." The book told in free form poems.
Helpful Score: 2
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is a most remarkable book. The writer is a young girl from Oklahoma who lives through the dust bowl years. I found the images it evoked powerful. Indeed, I could see the clouds of dust rolling across the fields, feel the dust on the tables and irritating my eyes. Hesse writes verses about the people in her community and what happens to them as well as how her family is coping with these sad desolate times. I highly recommend this Newbery Award winning book for young and old alike. It's an outstanding read.
What a gem! As an adult sometimes I forget there are treasures to be found in children's books as well. The prose of this novel is a voice I will carry for a long time. From the first page I was drawn in with Billie Jo to travel the dusty roads of her adolesence. This is an amazing book and well worth all the awards it was given.
Helpful Score: 2
Had to read this book for a children's literature class last year, and found it to be ok. I wouldn't have normally read it on my own without the course.
The book is basically about hard times for a little girl living in the Midwest. She very accidentally burns her pregnant mother, and things become very tragic. She and her father have very hard times connecting and maintaining an affectionate relationship (the kind that little girls long for with their dads), because he's very sad, overworked and just emotionally unavailable. But fast forward many pages (because i don't want to give anything away) and someone comes into both of their lives and all turns out to be well again.
I've given it a "mid-level" rating because it again, is something the I HAD to read, not anything I truly in my heart wanted to read. But if reading about hard times, dust storms, and life in the west is your thing, you'll really enjoy it (no disrespect intended). :)
The book is basically about hard times for a little girl living in the Midwest. She very accidentally burns her pregnant mother, and things become very tragic. She and her father have very hard times connecting and maintaining an affectionate relationship (the kind that little girls long for with their dads), because he's very sad, overworked and just emotionally unavailable. But fast forward many pages (because i don't want to give anything away) and someone comes into both of their lives and all turns out to be well again.
I've given it a "mid-level" rating because it again, is something the I HAD to read, not anything I truly in my heart wanted to read. But if reading about hard times, dust storms, and life in the west is your thing, you'll really enjoy it (no disrespect intended). :)
Helpful Score: 1
This book is fantastic. It tells a story of a family who truley suffers in the dust bowl but in the end overcome their troubles. Great read for all ages. Can really make you feel the pain of what this family felt.
Helpful Score: 1
It is good to see a whole regions suffering through the eyes of a child.
Helpful Score: 1
4 out of 5. Beautifully written in a free form poetic style, gives a girl's view of events that happened to her and her family in the Oklahoma dust bowl years of her adolescence. Moving.
Helpful Score: 1
I picked up this book because I am fascinated by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Unfortunately, this book wasn't all I'd hoped it would be. I felt the story was lacking. I wanted more depth and insight into that time period. Also, the writing style was annoying. It was written in complete sentences but in the format of poetry. It felt very choppy and was difficult to read because it didn't flow. What is the purpose of writing like that? I feel like the author was trying to be "artsy" just for the sake of being artsy.
I do not understand how or why this book has won awards.
I do not understand how or why this book has won awards.
Helpful Score: 1
Very good book
Helpful Score: 1
children's poetry telling a story - I had to read it for a class... it was hard for me to get into tho and I love poetry.
Helpful Score: 1
A testament to poetry, this book tells a complete and poignant story with a minimum of words.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent book...
written in short poetic style it is an easy read
yet filled with emotion
Definetly worth reading
written in short poetic style it is an easy read
yet filled with emotion
Definetly worth reading
Very compelling book; one that stays with you long after you read it. Believable as a young person's emotional experience through tough life experiences.
Well written about history, the sorrows and joys in this girl's family. The feelings of finding her place. Highly recommended lest we forget the struggles of the past.
Great book for kids to get an idea of the Dust Bowl! Well done!
I've never been the fondest of novels-in-verse or historical fiction. I suppose OUT OF THE DUST was alright. It has all the qualities of a book that make it appeal to the awards committees: grievous troubles, a protagonist mired by obstacles, family troubles, yadda yadda. But I never really felt a connection to...what's her name? I can't even remember. Oy.
Also, the novel-in-verse format has to contribute something to the story; it cannot be an arbitrary. And I didn't really see why Hesse chose to write this book in this way.
Also, the novel-in-verse format has to contribute something to the story; it cannot be an arbitrary. And I didn't really see why Hesse chose to write this book in this way.
mines a hardback in perfect condition. I read it a while ago and really liked the way its written.
4/28/10
raiting:7
This book is very interesting, its very descriptive and fun to read. It is about this girl who lives in a town that is so dry that there is dust everywhere. It goes through parts of her life and describes how she feels and what she wants. She wants more then anything to get out of that town and go somewhere where dust isnt. There are some very good things that happen to her and some very bad and sad things. The words on the pages are big and there arent that many it is in more of a poem format then a book one so you dont really know how much you are reading. There are some boring parts too but in the interesting parts you get so into the book that you dont even relize how many pages you read. And the author does a good job of making you feel like you are in the story.
kelsy C
raiting:7
This book is very interesting, its very descriptive and fun to read. It is about this girl who lives in a town that is so dry that there is dust everywhere. It goes through parts of her life and describes how she feels and what she wants. She wants more then anything to get out of that town and go somewhere where dust isnt. There are some very good things that happen to her and some very bad and sad things. The words on the pages are big and there arent that many it is in more of a poem format then a book one so you dont really know how much you are reading. There are some boring parts too but in the interesting parts you get so into the book that you dont even relize how many pages you read. And the author does a good job of making you feel like you are in the story.
kelsy C
This is poetry.
Winner of the Newbery Medal adn the Scott O'Dell award.
very good
Received John Newberry Award. Written in free verse poetic form.
Unabridged, 2 cassettes
One of the most touching books I have ever read. The raw emotion is set forth as in no other book I've ever read.
It was a good book. i could just care less what it was saying.
a terrible accident changes everthing.
interesting- story of a girl written in free-verse poems. tragic yet inspiring. good read
*newbery award*
*publishers weekly best book of the year*
*school library journal best book of the year*
*booklist editors' choice*
*booklinks best book of the year*
*new york public library 100 titles for reading and sharing selection*
*newbery award*
*publishers weekly best book of the year*
*school library journal best book of the year*
*booklist editors' choice*
*booklinks best book of the year*
*new york public library 100 titles for reading and sharing selection*
Newberry winner, Scott O'Dell winner, Booklist Editors choice, School Library Journal Best Book of The Year winner --- and many more!!!
This story is told in the form of free verse poetry but it is much more than a collection of poems. Each one tells a little more of the story. Great for pre teens and adults.
from back cover:
"A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might maker her feel better - playing the piano- is impossible with her wounded hands.
To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma - and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.
This story is told in the form of free verse poetry but it is much more than a collection of poems. Each one tells a little more of the story. Great for pre teens and adults.
from back cover:
"A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might maker her feel better - playing the piano- is impossible with her wounded hands.
To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma - and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.
Scholastic-Newberry medal book. A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better--playing the piano--is impossible with her wounded hands.
A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better-playing the piano-is impossible with her wounded hands.
To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma-and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.
To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma-and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.
Haven't read it but I know moms or dad who read it as a chapter book to their kid each night--like a chapter a night, instead of a picture book. Geared for young readers (9+).
A terible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better-playing the piano- is impossible with her wounded hands.
To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, BIllie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma-and in the surprising landscape of her own hear.
Winner of: Newberry Medal
Scott O'Dell Award
ALA Notable Children's Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A School library Journal BEst Book of the Year
A Booklist Editors' Choice
A Book Links "lasting Connection"
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A NY Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection
To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, BIllie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma-and in the surprising landscape of her own hear.
Winner of: Newberry Medal
Scott O'Dell Award
ALA Notable Children's Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A School library Journal BEst Book of the Year
A Booklist Editors' Choice
A Book Links "lasting Connection"
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A NY Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection
