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Published by Dutton Children's Books--a division of Penguin in 2009, 128 pages, hardback edition, ages 9-12, non-fiction/history
This book was borrowed from the library for the purpose of reading/reviewing.
During the 1930's while the Great Depression was going on another horrific disaster was taking place, the Great Dust Bowl storms. The states affected were New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The most infamous dust storm was on Sunday April 14, 1935, this day would be known as Black Sunday. Years of Dust by Albert Marrin teaches the history of the plains, the environment of the land, the peoples that had lived there, and how the farmers claimed the lands after the ranchers left. Drought and insect infestations helped to cause the dust storms, but also during the 1920's the farmers increased production of crops. Later soil conservation would be implemented and farmers would learn to rotate crops and to rest the land.
The book is filled with large photographs (all in black and white) of the approaching storms, several photographs are of the people that were known as apart of the great migration to the west coast, primarily California. Even though these people were traveling to a state that was unaffected by the dust storms and drought and held promise of plentiful agriculture, the trip there was hazardous and long, and once arriving the people lived in distressing and unsanitary camps.
I felt this was an interesting book, it could be implemented in the class room when studying about this time period. The photographs are large and speak loudly of what the people endeavored.