Out of the Dust
Out of the Dust is a verse novel by Karen Hesse, first published in 1997. It won the 1998 Newbery Medal. Set in Oklahoma during the years 1934–1935, the novel tells the story of a family of farmers during the Dust Bowl years. The book follows main character Billie Jo's life and struggles. The structure of the novel is unusual in that the plot is advanced entirely through a series of first-person free verse poems.