{"product_id":"california-or-dust-9780823462520","title":"California or Dust","description":"\u003cb\u003eA powerful story of the devastation of the Dust Bowl--and the courage of those who survived it--in the tradition of \u003ci\u003eOut of the Dust\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eWe came all the way from California to make something of ourselves.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eToday's the day we start.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCalifornia, 1939. It's hard being the new kid in school. . . but it's harder for eleven-year-old Lark, after she and her family fled Oklahoma's Dust Bowl for a not-so-sunny welcome in California. Kids whisper \u003ci\u003eGo back to Oklahoma! \u003c\/i\u003eLark would give anything to go back to where she came from, but she can't: the dust storms destroyed everything. The farm labor camp she, her parents, and her siblings live in is her life now, and even Lark has to get a job. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCan California really be \"the land of milk and honey\" she was promised? More than that. . . can it ever be home? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMindy 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Holiday House\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/25\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780823462520\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.25lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/18\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/12\/2026 pg. 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAccelerated Reader Quiz #\/Name: \u003c\/b\u003e559147 \/ California or Dust\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReading Level:\u003c\/b\u003e 5.1 \/ \u003cb\u003eInterest Level:\u003c\/b\u003e Middle Grade \/ \u003cb\u003ePoint Value:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Mindy Nichols Wendell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52750216724661,"sku":"9780823462520","price":16.14,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/california-or-dust-9780823462520","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}