lisa+Sparling-+Jessica+Long

Week 3 Adult: __Jessica Long__ Student: __Lisa Sparling__ Book Title: __Out of The Dust__ Pages Read: __152__

Billie Jo did keep on playing the piano. Even though it hurt her to play. She knew that she was not as good as before and that they all knew it. One time it snowed real snow for the first time in a long time and she thought that her dad would be happy for the first time in a long time. Late one night Billie Jo went to go see a show but after the show a big storm came and she didn’t know that it was going to happen. So it was hard for her. By the time she got back home there was a note on the table for her from her dad that said that he had gone to find her and that if she came home to stay put. Latter on in the morning he came back from looking for her. This character does remind me of me because when I get angry and take off in the night he would go look for me.

Sometimes I wonder if she and her dad will ever get along because all a child needs is the love and support from a parent and also encouragement from them too. What do you think is going to happen because I really have no clue what so ever?So what have you been up to? All I have been doing is helping my mom and dad out. So how is school going? I really enjoy school very well.

Lisa, Billie Jo continued playing piano, but with her hands so injured it hurt her to play very much. She knew that she doesn't play as well as she did before, but she is being encouraged to practice. Billie was very excited that snow came, but I picture the snow melting very fast because of it being so dry where she lives. I think Billie was right about her father being excited because they needed the snow to help water his crops. I think that when Billies father went looking for Billie it showed that he really does care about her. I'm sure that Billie felt a little more wanted by her father when she read the note that said he went looking for her as well. I also think that it is so sweet that Billies father is still digging the pond that Billies mother wanted before she passed away. I felt sorry for Billie when the family lived in the school house and the baby reminded her of her own baby brother and she didn't want them to leave the schoolhouse because she didn't want to be separated from the baby. I think that this character does remind me of myself because of how she blames herself for problems that were an accident. I constantly blame myself for things that happen.

I wonder if Billie and her father will become closer as well because right now they act so distant! I really have no clue what will happen next either. Maybe our prediction on Billie and her father will come true. I have been working and going to school. That is good that you are helping your mom and dad. I get yelled at for not helping enough so good for you haha. School is pretty busy right now. That is good that you enjoy school because you have a few years ahead of you yet to come! I'm ready for summer break and then I'm off to college! =]

= Week 4 = = = = Adult: Jessica Long = Student: Lisa Sparling Book Title: Out of the Dust Pages Read: All

Billie Jo had taken off and she met someone that looked very familiar from before. She had given him 2 stale biscuits that she had taken from home and gave them to him. The guy had left home because he had three kids and a wife and a baby that would not stop crying for anything. She had come back home and she and her dad had started talking and getting along better. While she was gone her father was worrying about her. Louise had stayed there to comfort him. Billie had really started liking her because she cooked, cleaned, and she also made her dad laugh and her too. Her father had gone to the doctors about what was on his skin and come to find out it was cancer. The doctor cut it out and put bandages over it and asked him why he waited so long. While they were there, she had asked about her hands and he told her to use them and put ointment on them as well and so she did. She started playing again and she really liked it. While she was playing the piano, she really enjoyed it and her hands never really started hurting her at all. They had cleaned the dust off of the piano and out of it too. Then Billie sat down at the piano and started playing again. Her dad had found him a girl and her name was Louise. Louise was excited because she had always thought that Billie Jo would not like her but come to find out she was really excited about her too. Her dad had gone on a walk with Louise. They walked by her mom’s and brother’s grave and to the pond and to the barn.

I did enjoy this book. It was very interesting and entertaining and it showed how bad it was back then. Everyone should read this book because some may not understand what it was like and how others felt about it. She changes throughout the story because at the beginning she blamed her dad and herself and at the end she stopped blaming her dad and stopped blaming herself some. The theme is that no matter how life gets never quit trying. Questions:
 * Did her dad ever get married to Louise?
 * Did she and Mad Dog date?

I wouldn’t change the ending because books are supposed to make you want to know what happens so that you can try to guess what happens.

Lisa, Billie Jo left home to go someplace better. She wanted to see green grass and plants. While Billie Jo was on the train a man got on the same car as her and she thought he was familiar. He left his family because times were hard for them and the baby would not stop crying. Billie Joe had biscuits and she gave him two and left two for her later. She fell asleep and the man stole them from her and had left a picture of his family for her. She looked at the picture and decided to go back home to her father. When she got back home her and her father talked alot more. Later Billies father met a woman named Louise and they were together alot. Billie at first didn't like Louise being around because she thought about her mother alot, but later on Billie came to like Louise. Billie also started playing piano alot more to get her hands back to the way they used to be.

I enjoyed this book because it explained how hard times were during the dust bowl. It shows how lucky we have it compared to other people. I think everyone should read this book to see how hard times were back then and how crops rarely ever survived. The theme is to never give up on something. I think that if Billies father could have gotten married to Louise because they were very happy together. I doubt that Billie and Mad Dog dated because she was always jelous of him. I would keep the ending the way it is because it adds suspicion and makes you play a guessing game.