Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse

In Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse, a girl, ironically called Billy Jo, struggles to survive the Dust Bowl. During these harsh years, she encounters dust storms, fires, grasshopper attacks, and other natural disasters. She is also faced with tragedies, like losing her mother as well as her two hands. However, she never loses hope. Will she be able to survive and live to tell the tale? This was one of my favorite books because it showed me to never give up and keep moving forward. I greatly recommend this book to people who are depressed or in sadness.

-Reviewed by JunHyung, grade 7.