Karen Hesse

When Billie Jo is just fourteen she must endure heart-wrenching ordeals that no child should have to face. The quiet strength she displays while dealing with unspeakable loss is as surprising as it is inspiring. Written in free verse, this award-winning story is set in the heart of the Great Depression. It chronicles Oklahoma's staggering dust storms, and the environmental--and emotional--...

Captures the emotions of a young Union girl who struggles to make sense of her shattered world as she lives in a state of harsh division during the first year of the Civil War. 120,000 first printing.