California or Dust

A powerful story of the devastation of the Dust Bowl—and the courage of those who survived it—in the tradition of Out of the Dust.

We came all the way from California to make something of ourselves. Today’s the day we start.

California, 1939. It’s hard being the new kid in school. . . but it’s harder for eleven-year-old Lark and her family, who’ve fled Oklahoma’s Dust Bowl for a not-so-sunny welcome in California. Signs read Okies, go home! and We can't take care of our own! Kids whisper Go back to Oklahoma! Lark would give anything to go back to where she came from, but she can’t: the dust storms destroyed everything. The work camp she, her parents, and her many siblings live in is her life now, and even Lark has to get a job.

Can California really be “the land of milk and honey” she was promised? More than that. . . can it ever be home?

Mindy Nichols Wendell’s sophomore historical middle-grade novel is a heartfelt, powerful, and incredibly well-written story of resilience, pride, and tenacity in the face of overwhelming obstacles.