Which author won the Newbery Medal in 1998 for 'Out of the Dust'?

Karen Hesse won the 1998 Newbery Medal for Out of the Dust. The novel is a free-verse journal describing Billie Jo’s life in the Oklahoma Panhandle from the beginning of 1934 through the end of 1935, during the Dust Bowl.

Billie Jo faces drought, dust storms, poverty, family tragedy, and devastating physical injuries. Because the story is written as brief diary-like poems, its spare language mirrors the scarcity and emotional pressure of the period. The verse form also gives Billie Jo a direct, intimate voice as she struggles with grief, anger, guilt, and the possibility of healing.

Hesse researched the Dust Bowl carefully and worked with the Oklahoma Historical Society while writing the book. Out of the Dust also won the Scott O’Dell Award. Readers sometimes confuse the award year with the publication year: the novel was first published in 1997, but it received the Newbery Medal in 1998. Critics have also noted that its historical perspective focuses primarily on white experiences and leaves other Dust Bowl communities underrepresented.