Stories of desperation and hope during the years of dust are described with powerful visual images. e national disaster is presented from an ecological point of view.

Source: Publisher's Weekly
Age Range: 9-15
Evaluation of Quality: The information is arranged chronologically in short and engaging chapters, with different styles of font and an excellent selection of photographs from the time period.
Assessment of potential use: This book can be used to assist a fifth grade class, early middle school group, or homeschooled children, to learn about the American Dust Bowl.
Assessment of appeal to children: Children will enjoy the high quality photographs interspersed throughout this book and how they really capture the desperation of the era.

A beautiful book for teaching science, history or the humanities surrounding the topic of the Dust Bowl. The author tells the narrative through both words and images. The author is the recipient of 2008 National Endowment for Humanities Medal and a professor emeritus of history at Yeshiva University so seems very qualified to write such an inclusive text about the Dust Bowl. Even the font choice for the title on the cover draws the reader into the effects of the Dust Bowl. The text includes many photos with captions so the story is even told through images as well as text. The text includes a table of contents, index, bibliography, and author's notes by chapter. Each chapter begins with a photo and title page. The story is told in chronological order beginning with a brief explanation of the Dust Bowl then detailing the ecology of the Great Plains. The text continues with information about farming the Great Plains, refugees of World War I and the Great Depression. The author even tells Native American history of the Great Plains and explains soil erosion. The author gives a complete detailing of everything that led to the Dust Bowl. After reading the text, it is clear that the land of the Great Plains was not ruined overnight by one single event. It was a progression of things that happened in our country that led to this major historical catastrophe. It is an important text to understand what went wrong so that it is not repeated in the future. ( )

This was an absolutely amazing and eye opening book. The photos and the maps added so much to the story and I just really, really loved this. It's a hard topic, but worth the read. I would recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars. ( )

This fascinating story of the Great Dust Bowl is a gripping account of life in those terrible times. With succinct details and stirring pictures, the author paints a picture of hopelessness and despair, of a people who lost everything and yet, for the most part, still persevered. The author clearly explains just how the dust bowl years were man-made, by the practices of settlers and farmers who didn’t realize the doom they were creating. Meant as a book for juveniles, this book nevertheless has much to offer adults. ( )