“At once heart-wrenching and hopeful, Lark’s perspective allows young readers to understand a bit more about this important time in American history while also connecting the perennial themes of perseverance and belonging.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Lark is a multifaceted, endearing protagonist who struggles to do right by her family as she fights homesickness, worries about her mother, and longs for consistent schooling. Prose brimming with palpable historical detail blends depictions of a child’s maturation with a portrait of family renewal and community building during a period of environmental and economic collapse. It’s a satisfying story about hope and resilience inspired by true historical events and figures, per an author’s note.
—Publishers Weekly
History vividly comes to life in this engaging story. . . . The author’s endnotes enrich readers’ understanding of this era and add meaningful perspective on the family’s journey. This well-written tale of struggle and achievement is highly recommended for school libraries. . . . would pair exceptionally well with Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust to enrich a Great Depression unit. Depression unit.
—School Library Journal
“Wendell uses elegant language to explore Lark’s interiority in depth, painting a detailed portrait of a tenacious young hero. . . . The book effectively makes the time period accessible without inserting excessive historical details. . . . A heartfelt, character-driven Dust Bowl story of grit and growing up.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Ultimately, this is a story about a child facing both material deprivation and a parent’s mental health crisis and struggling not to be broken herself. Wendell’s inspiring novel for middle grade readers is based on a real encampment and a real school, the Weedpatch School, that the migrants built themselves and staffed with idealistic teachers from around the country. An extensive author’s note presents the Dust Bowl, the migration from the Great Plains to California, and some of the real people on which the story is based.
—Historical Novel Society