Dust for Dinner (I Can Read Book - Level 3) (Paperback)

~ Ann Turner (Author), Robert Barrett (Illustrator) "Once we lived in a little house in a wide place..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-2-Jake and Maggy and their parents live on a farm in Oklahoma where they grow crops, raise animals, and sing and dance to the music on the radio. But when a drought comes and dust storms destroy the land, the family must auction all of their belongings and head to California. They manage to hang on to their radio and their dog as the only reminders of the life they've left behind. With the adults working odd jobs, they make their way across the country and are lucky enough to find a better life in California. Jake's first-person narrative; the use of the radio as a motif to provide continuity; and the realistic, full-color illustrations combine to make this story a well-written introduction to the Depression for beginning readers. No dates are given in the story to provide context or historical background, but this information is included in an author's note at the end.
Jan Shepherd Ross, Dixie Elementary Magnet School, Lexington, KY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 1^-2. In this I Can Read Book, Turner takes a sad episode in history and fashions it into a story that has some depth as well as some drama. It revolves around an Oklahoma family displaced by drought and the Depression. Because the book is divided into chapters, youngsters will get the feeling of reading a "real book," while having the luxury of short sentences, generous leading, and a direct, easy-to-grasp plot line. Realistic, nicely executed illustrations decorate every page, and the book ends on a happy note: Dad finally finds a job in California. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (January 3, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006444225X
• ISBN-13: 978-0064442251
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #101,365 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #30 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Homelessness & Poverty
  #89 in	Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > Fiction > 1900s

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Includes facts in an interesting story format, April 8, 1999

By A Customer

Gradeschool children who read this story identified with the story characters. Students went away with appreciation for this time in American History. It was easy to read and informative. It made many students realize how fortunate they are.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Way to Connect, May 10, 2006

By	Christina Carey "piika" (Outer Space) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dust for Dinner (I Can Read Books (Harper Paperback)) (School & Library Binding)

I featured this book in my 4th grade class's unit on "How We Came to California." It was the best book that told about the journey of many families to the Golden State during the Dust Bowl Days because it included why they left, how they came and the struggle once they got here. To make it even more special, my grandmother came to read it to the students because she lived in CA during this time and helped the people who came to her town from Oaklahoma and Kansas. Having an elder read it to the kids was the most memorable thing to many of the kids who simply did not know about this period of their family's history.