Out of the Dust

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Middle Grade | Published in 1997

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Before You Read

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Further Reading & Resources

Further Reading: Literature

These historical middle grade novels each feature a Great Depression-era female protagonist like Billie Jo in Out of the Dust, but vary in locale, given circumstances, and conflict:

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm (2010)

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Turtle in Paradise (2010) by Jennifer L. Holm finds 11-year-old Turtle Curry heading to live with relatives she's never met in Depression-era Key West, Florida. Leaving her mom behind at her job as a live-in housekeeper, cynical Turtle must find her place at Aunt Minnie's grubby house amongst her three cousins.

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The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis (2012)

The Mighty Miss Malone is a historical middle grade novel by Christopher Paul Curtis. Deza Malone, age 12, endures the challenges of the Great Depression with her tight-knit family by her side. When Father must leave their home in Indiana to find work, Mother, Deza, and Deza’s brother Jimmie soon realize they are strongest when they are all together—and they start a journey to try to find Father.

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Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper

As the Ku Klux Klan exerts increasing influence over the residents of rural Bumblebee, North Carolina, 11-year-old Stella Mills must confront racism while navigating the challenges of school, family life, and friendship.