Although helping at the lighthouse might not be a very "ladylike" thing to do, 15-year-old Amelia "Wickie" Martin loves aiding her father in his assistant lighthouse keeper duties.  Her dad, a former captain, was stripped of his ship after helping an abolitionist and banished to remote Fenwick Island, Delaware.  Wickie's mother is still bitter over the family's tarnished reputation and reduced financial situation.  Wickie couldn't be happier.  Living in a border state means everyone around her—including her parents—are hotly divided over the issue of slavery.  It's only in the lighthouse that Wickie feels true peace.  There, she can be herself, which means quietly supporting abolition and even finding her own ways to help the cause.  While the Civil War tears her nation and her parents apart, can Wickie find a way to keep herself intact?

Scholastic started publishing the Dear America books—a series of middle-grade novels penned by various well-known authors written in diary format and centered around important historical events—in 1996, while I was a sophomore in college.  I wish they had been in circulation when I was in elementary school because I would have eaten them up!  Even as an adult, I enjoy these quick, intimate historical novels.  I've read a number of them.  When I was looking for a book set in Delaware for the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge, I came across A Light in the Storm by Karen Hesse.  Although the book is more episodic than plot-driven, it made for an interesting read.  I enjoyed learning about lighthouse keeping, something I've not encountered before in fiction.  Hesse mentions in her Author's Note that Wickie was inspired by a real-life female Lightkeeper, Ida Lewis, whose careful watch saved many from dying at sea.  I'd never heard of Lewis' heroic efforts, so that made A Light in the Storm even more fascinating.  Also intriguing was looking at the Civil War from the position of someone living in a border state.  That situation put a new spin on the subject for me.  I did find Wickie's life—and thus her story—to be a sad, depressing one.  For that reason and more, I liked but didn't love this novel.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other books in the Dear America series)   

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

More than anything, 14-year-old Billie Jo Kelby wants to leave.  Leave drought-choked Oklahoma.  Leave the crumbling family farm.  Leave her broken father.  Leave behind the grief and guilt she carries over her mother's death.  It's 1934; plenty of folks are abandoning their failing farms for brighter prospects out West.  Billie Jo longs to follow.  If only her hands hadn't been burned to useless stumps in the fire that killed her mother, she could make a living playing the piano.  If only ifs weren't all she had.

As Billie Jo tries to eke out a life in a difficult, desolate landscape, she'll have to rely on her own cunning, bravery, and determination to survive.  Fortunately, she has all of these in spades.

Told in free verse, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is a raw, powerful read that is as spare as it is evocative.  The setting comes to life so vividly that you can feel the grit between your teeth, taste it in your throat, and feel it stinging your eyes.  This overpowering imagery makes Out of the Dust truly unforgettable.  Billie Jo, herself, is almost as compelling as her surroundings.  She's courageous, real, and wholly sympathetic.  Although this novel is written for young readers, it's not a gentle story.  In fact, it's harsh, haunting, and heartbreaking.  It's also an inspiring tale that will make you think long, long after you finish it.  If you enjoy historical novels, I highly recommend this noteworthy Newbery winner. 

(Readalikes: I haven't read any other children's books about the Dust Bowl, but Out of the Dust reminded me of adult novels like The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and I Will Send Rain by Rae Meadows)

Grade: 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for disturbing subject matter (death, child abandonment, suicide, etc.)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

It's time again for my favorite weekly meme, Top Ten Tuesday.  If you're up for some bookish fun this morning, join in.  Click on over to The Broke and the Bookish for more information, then make your own list, and bop around the blogosphere to get some great reading recommendations.  Easy peasy. 

I feel like I'm always talking about the same beloved authors and genres around here, so I decided to change things up a little for Top Ten Tuesday.  Today's topic is: Top Ten Favorite Books in X Genre.  Not gonna lie—I considered dystopian, British crime lit, family secrets novels, etc.  In the end, though, I decided to talk about a genre that I enjoy but don't actually read that often.  So, here's my list of my Top Ten Favorite Books-in-Verse:

1.  Death Coming Up the Hill by Chris Crowe—This award-winning haiku novel about the Vietnam War is set here in Arizona.  It touched me deeply.

2.  Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson—I'm a big fan of Woodson's YA and MG books, so I was excited to read this memoir-in-verse.  It's a lovely, National Book Award-winning contemplation on race, identity, and discovering one's voice.  

3.  The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf—This haunting, evocative novel is about the Titanic tragedy, a subject I find endlessly fascinating.

4.  Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill—The Salem Witch Trials are another historical topic that is always interesting to read about.  Hemphill manages to tell a very rich story despite the limits of a verse structure.

5.  Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate—Applegate's novels always seem to hit me right in the feels.  It's been a while since I read this one, but in my review I called it a "quick, touching story."

6.  Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse—I read this impactful, atmospheric novel about the Dust Bowl recently and it has definitely stayed with me.

7.  Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham—This one isn't based on historical or world events, but it is a compelling novel that tells an interesting Soul Surfer-ish story.

8.  Crank; Glass; Fallout; and other novels by Ellen Hopkins—Hopkins' YA novels in verse are so graphic and raw that I have a hard time labeling them "favorites."  Still, they're powerful in their unflinching examination of contemporary issues like illegal drug use, prostitution, sexual abuse, etc.

Okay, I'm going to cheat on the last two (actually, three) and share a couple novels-in-verse that are on my TBR pile mountain mountain chain:

9.  Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling by Lucy Frank—This novel about two very different girls who share an illness and a hospital room sounds intriguing.

10.  Witness by Karen Hesse—After Out of the Dust, I'm definitely up for another Hesse book.  This one is about a small town in Vermont and how it changes when the Ku Klux Klan moves in.  Set in 1924, it's another historical novel-in-verse, a subgenre I usually enjoy.

11.  Sonya Sones—I have several of this author's novels-in-verse on my TBR list.  I'm intrigued by Saving Red; One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies; and Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy.

There you have it.  What do you think of my list?  Have you read any of these?  What are your favorite books-in-verse?  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor.

Happy TTT!