Winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal! OUT OF THE DUST by Karen Hesse Scholastic Press; $15.95 ISBN 0-590-36080-9 Scholastic; $4.99 ISBN 0-590-37125-8 A poem cycle that reads as a novel, Out of the Dust tells the story of Billie Jo, a girl who struggles to help her family survive the dustbowl years of the Depression. Fighting against the elements on her Oklahoma farm, Billie Jo takes on even more responsibilities when her mother dies in a tragic accident. A testament to the American spirit, this novel is an instant classic.