I have to say that this is one of the most emotionally powerful "children's books" I have ever read; more about that later. This work is a novel written completely in free verse which tells the story of a young girl, Billie Jo, growing up in the dust bowel in Oklahoma during 1934 and 1935. The story opens:
Billie Jo grew up in very hard times; dirt poor, farming a farm that would not produce; the elements, the times the place where overwhelming harsh. Billie Jo had her dad, her mom and her piano and that was about it. At an early age her mother is killed in a horrifying fire and Billie Jo is maimed. Things were bad, bad, bad.
The author's use of the free verse form is extremely effective in delivering this tale. As far as that form of verse goes, it is almost perfectly written; catching the ebb and flow of life in a harsh, matter of fact sort of way. There are no illusions here, no beating around the bush; cold hard facts as seen through the eyes of a very young girl.
I defy the reader to get through this work with a dry eye. Yet and all, there is hope; always hope. Despite her mother's death, a father with "problems" a world turned up-side-down; a grim world, Billie Jo survives and in her own way, flourishes.
This work was the recipient of the 1998 Newbery Award and a large group of other awards; rightfully so! It is a powerful piece of work. I do take umbrage though and very much disagree with the fact that this work is classified as a children's or YA book. The age group targeted for 11 year-olds and up.
Now I know all children are different and I know that we have plenty of very bright and very sensitive young folks among us this very day. But that being said, this book addresses issues and requires knowledge of our history that few of our younger folks have today; an understanding of writing/poetry and the general human condition as it existed then and exists now. They, for the most part, simply do not have enough life experiences under their belts to fully appreciate what the author is trying to do here. If you do not believe me, go read some of the one and two star reviews and read the comments closely...they will make my point for me.
No, this is as much an adult read as anything I have read for some time now. It is a good read. I first became acquainted with it shortly after it was first published; was stunned when I read it then, and I am still stunned with each reading even to this day.
Read this one; it will haunt you.
"As summer wheat came ripe,
so did I,
born at home, on the kitchen floor.
Ma crouched,
barefoot, bare bottomed
over the swept boards,
because that's where Daddy said it'd be best.
I came too fast for the doctor,
bawling as soon as Daddy wiped his hand around
inside my mouth.
I hollered myself red the day I was born.
Red's the color I've stayed ever since."
Billie Jo grew up in very hard times; dirt poor, farming a farm that would not produce; the elements, the times the place where overwhelming harsh. Billie Jo had her dad, her mom and her piano and that was about it. At an early age her mother is killed in a horrifying fire and Billie Jo is maimed. Things were bad, bad, bad.
The author's use of the free verse form is extremely effective in delivering this tale. As far as that form of verse goes, it is almost perfectly written; catching the ebb and flow of life in a harsh, matter of fact sort of way. There are no illusions here, no beating around the bush; cold hard facts as seen through the eyes of a very young girl.
I defy the reader to get through this work with a dry eye. Yet and all, there is hope; always hope. Despite her mother's death, a father with "problems" a world turned up-side-down; a grim world, Billie Jo survives and in her own way, flourishes.
This work was the recipient of the 1998 Newbery Award and a large group of other awards; rightfully so! It is a powerful piece of work. I do take umbrage though and very much disagree with the fact that this work is classified as a children's or YA book. The age group targeted for 11 year-olds and up.
Now I know all children are different and I know that we have plenty of very bright and very sensitive young folks among us this very day. But that being said, this book addresses issues and requires knowledge of our history that few of our younger folks have today; an understanding of writing/poetry and the general human condition as it existed then and exists now. They, for the most part, simply do not have enough life experiences under their belts to fully appreciate what the author is trying to do here. If you do not believe me, go read some of the one and two star reviews and read the comments closely...they will make my point for me.
No, this is as much an adult read as anything I have read for some time now. It is a good read. I first became acquainted with it shortly after it was first published; was stunned when I read it then, and I am still stunned with each reading even to this day.
Read this one; it will haunt you.
The Ozarks
Reading Information:
Word Count: 19,756
Page Count: 240
Accelerated Reader: 5.3 / points: 3.0
AR quiz: 18783
Lexile: NP
--sample pages and other reviews available
Awards and Notes of Merit
- Newbery Medal
- Starred Review for Publishers Weekly
- ALA Notable Book For Children
- ALA Best Book For Young Adults
2 comments :
I have not read "Out of the Dust" in years, and only once more since fourth grade when I read it for the first time in school. I loathed every moment of it (both times). I could blame my dislike on something as silly as a dislike of the story-through-poems style, but I've since found many excellent books that use that method of storytelling. And it's not the story, because I read other books set in similar time periods at around the same age.
As a kid, "Out of the Dust" seemed to me like a book adults would think kids like, or would be "good" for kids. I recall getting frustrated with my teachers, failing to understand why they saw tedium and repetitive simplicity as depth and quality. When I tried to reread it a year or two later, I still found that it was a painful slog. Not enough life experience under my belt? Maybe. But it reflects badly on the book if it fails to suit its target audience. I was 9 years old when I read this, not long after it came out, capable of reading books that packed serious emotional punch, and I found few redeeming qualities in this one.
I have no doubt that Karen Hesse wrote this as a young adult book. Perhaps today that's how it would be marketed - young adult, not children. Because kid's book this is not. As for whether or not it's good from an adult perspective... past experience keeps me from rereading and finding out for myself.
Hi Biblibio: Well, I must say that you and I are in somewhat agreement in reference to your comments. I probably should have extended this review and included more of my personal thoughts on the actual book than I did. First though, I have to say that I liked the work. Now keep in mind that this is coming from a man who is looking down the barrel of 70 and the fact that this was my first in-depth read of this work and that I had many family members caught up in these truly horrible times and that I am particularly fond of free verse. I suppose that part of my liking for this work is something of a cultural thing.
First, we are in full agreement as to the targeted age. I will go a step further though and state that even a YA rating might be a bit much. I certainly do not feel children of the age that you were more or less forced to read it should be, i.e. forced. Yes, it is the sort of book that many adults “think” kids should be exposed to, but that does not make it palatable to the young. On the other hand, just two weeks ago I was talking to three students (6th graders) who were reading the book on their own; they loved it and actually asked me if this author had written others like it. That being said though….
There are concepts in this book, incidents and feeling explored, that I do not for the life of me see how a child could relate to, much less understand. One of the problems is that the book on one level is a very easy read; it can be easily read, and on some levels, understood by kids at a pretty young age. This does not mean that the subject matter is easy though. There is a real conflict here.
As to the technical quality of the book…I stand by my like of Hesse’s style, methodology, syntax, etc. I say this fully realizing that this is probably more a matter of personal taste than anything else.
It is interesting to note the wide, wide opinions of this work; in particular when you look closely at reviews written by the young…or as exampled by my comments and take on the book verses yours. Any book that can bring out emotions so opposite in feelings from so many people, simply has to have something going for it…in my opinion. If a book is universally loved, then the author probably has not done their job; the reverse is also true.
Would I personally assign this book to a group of students to study and read? Not a chance! Like you, I was “forced” to read certain works as a kid (and indeed, not so much of a kid) that I loathed and I would not want to do that to a fellow human, no matter their age. No, this is not a work I would select for a general school setting. Would I recommend it to a kid that I felt would appreciate it…you bet!
I had to smile when I read your remarks here. Years ago I was forced to read Carl Sanburg’s poem Chicago. I truly hated that poem despite the fact that in general I am a Sanburg fan. I very recently reread that work and found I hated it even more now than I did then! Go figure!
Wonderful comments you have made here. Comments such as this are what this site is all about. Your observations have increased the value of this review so very much, and please, please, please jump right in any time. You have no idea how much we appreciate it!
Don
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