William Allen White Children's Book Awards

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Dust to Eat: Drought and Depression in the 1930's

Dust to Eat: Drought and Depression in the 1930s; Cooper, Michael L.; Clarion Books; 2004

Grade Level: 6-8
ISBN:0618154493; $15.00
Author Information: http://www.childrenslit.com/f_coop.htm

Synopsis:

The author clearly, interestingly, and succinctly describes what led to the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and economic distress of the 1930s in the U. S. Midwest, how these events impacted citizens of the United States, and the New Deal under Roosevelt and the U. S. entering World War II, events that helped to end this very difficult and traumatic time in the nation’s history.

Written in clear prose and abundantly illustrated with historical photos of the 1930s, many of them by Dorothea Lange, the author introduces the young reader to the stock market crash of 1929, defines the Dust Bowl, and aptly uses quotes, pictures, and stories by John Steinbeck, Caroline Henderson, Dorthy Lange, and Woody Guthrie to give readers a real flavor of the times through the eyes and words of those who lived it.

General Review:

Packed with information and images that vividly recall a by-gone era in American history, Dust to Eat: Drought and Depression in the 1930s by Michael L. Cooper is an excellent introduction to this era for upper elementary and middle school students. Cooper illustrates in clear and compelling writing and by the use of heart-rending photos from Dorothea Langue, noted Depression-era photographer, and others from the Library of Congress, factors that led to the Depression and Dust Bowl and how these events affected life in the United States.

Other excellent sources he employs include a diary from Caroline Henderson, a settler in the Oklahoma Panhandle who wrote poignantly of the effect of dirt and poverty, and lyrics from Woody Guthrie. He includes information from John Steinbeck’s visits of the actual California immigrant camps with discussion of his literary triumph, The Grapes of Wrath. For a slim (81 pages) volume, this one packs a wallop and sets the stage for further study of a fascinating yet tragic page in American history.

Themes: Dust Bowl, Great Depression, Migrant Camps, Civilian Conservation Corps, Literature of the Great Depression

Discussion Questions :

Read this quote to students: “I felt I was becoming a slave to the land. But I held on to the thought that this land had to be stopped from blowing. Often I was so full of dust that I drove blind, unable to see even the radiator cap on my tractor or hear the roar of the engines. But I kept driving on and on, by guess and instinct. I was making my last stand in the Dust Bowl.” If you had been part of one of these farm families during the 30s, do you think you would have wanted to stay on your farm or leave? Why or why not? What would you lose by leaving? What would you gain?
Compare the reactions of the people of California to the “Okies” during the 1930s to the reactions today of many people to illegal immigrants from Mexico. Have we really changed? What are some issues facing Kansas today in dealing with immigrants that might be similar to the ones faced by California during the Depression?
Woody Guthrie wrote folk songs about the common man and his plight during the Depression. Compare his song-writing to songs and raps being written today. What are the differences in the protest music? What are the similarities?
After viewing the many historical photos in the book and reading first-hand accounts, what is your reaction to the hardships children were experiencing during the Dust Bowl and Depression? How have the lives of children in the U. S. improved since this time period? Are there ways that we may be worse off today? Discuss.
The New Deal was the beginning of the many of the social programs we have in this country. Discuss ways welfare, food stamps, social security, and Medicare have improved people’s lives. Are there any downsides to any of these programs?

Activity Suggestions :

Interview someone in your family or your town who lived through the Dust Bowl. Write a short paper about how they adapted to the hardships, such as everyday living conditions, diet, care of farm animals, taking care of crops, and clothing. (Standard 3: Benchmark 2:)
Do research to find a Civil Conservation Corps project that was built in your area. Try to visit it or find a picture, find out the cost of the project, number of men who worked on it, time it took to build or plant (such as a tree belt, swimming pool in Garden City, KS, etc.). (Standard 7: Benchmark 1:)
Research Route 66, its history, nicknames, route through the U. S., stories surrounding it; if possible find someone who drove it and interview him or her about their experiences. Find pictures of landmarks along Route 66. Combine all these elements into a short report, Power Point, or poster. (Standard 5: Benchmark 3:)
Choose an area in Kansas and find the rainfall for years in the 1930s and 1950s. See if there are similarities. Research the 1950s for signs of another “Dust Bowl.” (Standard 1: Benchmark 5:)
Write a diary entry or letter from one of the following points of view: a farmer who is trying to decide whether to stay on his land; a mother nursing a child sick with dust pneumonia; or a healthy child watching the adults cope with the disaster. (Standard 3: Benchmark 2:)
Research the various relief programs offered by the New Deal. What would have happened to people if relief checks and food handouts were not available? Was this an appropriate governmental response? A group of students could discuss both sides of the issues in a classroom debate. (Standard 3: Benchmark 3:)

An excellent resource for research of these topics is the website on PBS dedicated to “Surviving the Dust Bowl.” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/

This video would also be good to watch with students after reading the book because people who survived the Dust Bowl are interviewed, and there is also an extensive article from a book of an eyewitness in Elkhart, KS. This website would be a wonderful resource for a unit on the Dust Bowl.