Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Evocative illustrated nonfiction, great for history buffs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE GREAT AMERICAN DUST BOWL opens on April 14, 1935, the day a huge, savage dust storm swept through America's high southern plains, derailing trains, suffocating animals, and scouring the paint from houses. The narrative then flashes back in time to explain the geological, economic and environmental factors that led to the drought. It charts the struggles of the millions of Americans who were affected by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.
Is It Any Good?
The Great American Dust Bowl simplifies the story of one of the United States' biggest ecological disasters, without robbing it of its historical and continuing significance. Author-illustrator Don Brown clearly presents the geological, meteorological, and ecological factors behind the drought and Dust Bowl.
The illustrations contain a touch of whimsy that prevents the material from becoming too depressing. The book is a quick, enjoyable chronicle of a disastrous era in American history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about ecological disasters. Could something like the Dust Bowl happen today?
How has farming in the United States changed since the days of the Dust Bowl? Are there instances in which modern farming causes situations unhealthy to the general public?
Do you think that human activity has a direct link to climate change?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Don Brown
- Genre : History
- Topics : History , Animals , STEM
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Publication date : October 8, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 80
- Available on : Nook, Hardback
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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