Fourteen-year-old Katelan Janke writes this exciting and harrowing tale of Grace Edwards and her family's struggle to survive the dangers and despa...
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reviews
Sep 03, 2010
Megan
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This one I thought was particularly good. I am from Kansas so we were right in the heart of the Dust Bowl. For my degree in college I had to take Kansas History and learning about the Dirty Thirties was really fun an interesting. So I cannot believe I waited so long to read this specific Dear America novel. Grace Edwards is from Dalhart, Texas and in 1935 the Dust Bowl was still four years from getting its first good rain. I like that the author depicted the families as just normal everyday peop
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Feb 24, 2011
Ana
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Survival in the Storm (Dust Bowl) / 0-439-21599-4
I realize that it's a common tactic in children's literature to make the adults in their lives capricious, unfair, or stupid in an attempt to heighten tension and propel drama that might not otherwise happen in the presence of consistent, fair, intelligent adults. But I've come to expect more from the Dear America series, and I am disappointed with "Survival in the Storm".
Grace's parents have always dreamed of own More...
I realize that it's a common tactic in children's literature to make the adults in their lives capricious, unfair, or stupid in an attempt to heighten tension and propel drama that might not otherwise happen in the presence of consistent, fair, intelligent adults. But I've come to expect more from the Dear America series, and I am disappointed with "Survival in the Storm".
Grace's parents have always dreamed of own More...
Feb 28, 2010
Rebecca
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At first I wasn't sure how good this new Dear America book would be, since Katelan Janke, the author, is just fifteen years old. But I was pleasantly surprised, since she has written a book just as good as many of the Dear America books written by adult authors. Katelan Janke has written a fictional diary of a young girl living in Katelan's own hometown during the Great Depression. Twelve-year-old Grace Edwards has lived on a farm near Dalhart, Texas for her whole life. But it's 1935, and the re
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Mar 30, 2009
KatieLynn
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Survival in the Storm was my first "Dear America" book I had ever completed. I started one before, but never finished it....
Anyway, it is delighting that my first one is written by a fifteen year old! Well, she was fifteen at the time, now twenty-four. This book was a true remodling of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression era. Katelan put beautiful images and powerful words into her book. I plan on reading more "Dear America" books. I hope they will be as awe-striking as
Anyway, it is delighting that my first one is written by a fifteen year old! Well, she was fifteen at the time, now twenty-four. This book was a true remodling of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression era. Katelan put beautiful images and powerful words into her book. I plan on reading more "Dear America" books. I hope they will be as awe-striking as
Apr 08, 2011
Jean
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I picked up this "Dear America" series book just so I could say I had at least read one. I was pleasantly surprised to learn information about the Dust Bowl that I didn't really know before. Though this book was somewhat bland, and I found several editing errors I was interested to discover in "The About the Author" afterword at the end of the book that the author was only fifteen years old. Pretty amazing. Which is why I bumped my intended 3 stars up to 4.
Sep 26, 2009
Peggy
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The diary of a young girl in the dustbowl era of Texas. Although it is a composition rather than an actual diary it was fascinating to read. This is actually a youth book but I wouuld recommend it to anyone. Having been born in the same general area of Texas added poignancy to the story for me. My father's family went through this period of time. He was about the same age as the girl in the story. It really hits home how easy we have it today.
Dec 22, 2010
Mackenzie
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Grace Edwards best friend is Helen and Grace's sister is Ruth. Helen moves because of all of the dust storms and pneumonia. There are at least 7 storms and they leave right before one starts and hits. Ruth and Grace get dust pneumonia. Grace learns about the hospital life. Ruth finds out that her best friend dies from dust pneumonia. I think you would love this book. To find out what else happens read the book.
Feb 01, 2011
A.S. Halsey
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REVIEW COMPLETE
The Dear America books are easily-accessible historical fiction for young readers, especially girls (the My Name is America books, I've been told, are very similar, only for boys).
Survival in the Storm tells the story of the Dust Bowl - a topic not covered in-depth in most school systems. Young readers will be intrigued to learn of the hardships people like Grace Edwards had to go through in Texas during this brutal era.
The Dear America books are easily-accessible historical fiction for young readers, especially girls (the My Name is America books, I've been told, are very similar, only for boys).
Survival in the Storm tells the story of the Dust Bowl - a topic not covered in-depth in most school systems. Young readers will be intrigued to learn of the hardships people like Grace Edwards had to go through in Texas during this brutal era.
Dec 19, 2011
Glenette
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Considering this is a 6th grade level book, I really, really enjoyed it. A student left it in my office at school one day and I got to thumbing through it. It piqued my interest so I promptly checked it out of the school library when it was available. It's about a young girl's entries in her diary during the dust bowl times in Dalhart, Texas. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction but this was a good one.
Sep 25, 2009
Rebecca
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This book was great. I had just been listening to my Grandpa talk about this and found it pretty fascinating. Then Moriah brought home this book and I read it and many of the things my Grandpa said were in the book too. It is not exactly nonfiction, but the details are so accurate and it does have a history at the end, so I added it to the shelf.
Apr 16, 2009
Aleisa
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I really enjoyed this book. It's hard to believe the author was only 14. It made a perfect companion for Out of the Dust--which is what I was hoping for (for a Thematic Unit I'm compiling for my YA Lit class). My daughter thinks I'm obsessed with the dust bowl.
Sep 22, 2011
Casey
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This was a really cool book. That poor little girl who died.. As of right now, I live in an area where the dust bowl really hit hard. I can relate to this book on a windy day haha. (just kidding.)
Mar 03, 2011
Kaela
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As with the other Dear America book, I first read this when I was in the 3rd grade, and I was in the 6th grade for the second reading. Again, it was great for that level.
Dec 26, 2011
Patrice
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It was fascinating and saddening to learn about the experiences of people living in the dustbowl after they had systematically destroyed the fertile land in the region.
Mar 13, 2011
Hayley
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This is an excellent book, as are all of these books. I recommend them to anyone who wants a good read
Jun 26, 2009
Jenna
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BORING
if u like dust bowl stuff this is for you
i am not a fan of dust bowl stuff
if u like dust bowl stuff this is for you
i am not a fan of dust bowl stuff
Jan 27, 2012
Evelyn
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For a 15 year old girl, she did a fantastic job! Very well written. :)
Jul 04, 2010
I would have never picked this book out on my own but it wasnt as bad as the other books some kids had to read pretty interesting
Mar 25, 2010
Meredith
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Violet's 2009-2010 reading page: http://happyheartsmom.typepad.com/sweetn...
