Out of the Dust

Book Three for Adolescent Literature. Yay.

First impression: Newbery Medal on the cover; someone dies.

Later: Yep. Called it.

But really, if you get a chance to read this book, do so. It's a verse novel, so the story is told through poetry, which is an interesting effect to say the least. There were quite a few poems I genuinely enjoyed.

The story is narrated by teenaged Billie Jo during the Dust Bowl of the 30's. The cover is about as boring as they come, which was what probably kept me picking it up before, but is probably a good thing - I remember this book being in my elementary school library. If I'd read it then, it would have messed me up. It's not that it's paticularly horrific or anything, but some of the passages just hurt to read. Eeeeugh.

That said, there are also several beautiful passages, more than I would have expected from a story about the Dust Bowl (hell, more than I would expect from a story that takes place in Oklahoma XD). The sections concerning infants and birth were especially poignant and the single poem about World War I stick in my mind more than others.

I've read Karen Hesse before, so I did know a little of what I was getting into; judging from this book and The Music of Dolphins, she seems to enjoy "experimental" styles - while this one was pure poetry, the latter was semi-poetic but for a different reason; the narrator is speaking mostly through Translation Convention. The prose is intersting to me because as the narrator learns more about the human world and how to speak "properly," the level of difficulty increases - from about a first grade level complete with larger print to about a fifth grade level as the text shrinks - and decreases again with her longing for home until finally being released to the sea where Translation Convention once again takes full effect.

But that's neither here nor there. More than anything, I think I'm left wondering why this book was in my elementary school - granted it is for younger readers, but fifth grade seems a little too young. While heavy on atmosphere and character, I think much of it would go right over the head of a ten year old. I could see it being one of those books you read, forget about, and then come back to years later with a fresh understanding of what was really going on within.

Not to say younger readers won't appreciate it at all of course - I think grasping the plot and meaning is easy enough, but some of the undertones, of distance between parent and child and the sort-of relationship with another character for example, that aren't quite as explicit might be lost.

When all's said and done, historical fiction isn't really my forte - loved the book anyway.