Karen Hesse (born on August 29, 1952-)

An American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings.  Out of the Dust is a story of a girl living through the dust bowl of the depression. The central character is framed for killing her pregnant mother by leaving a bucket of boiling kerosene next to the stove. After the mother dies, Billie Jo and her father try and continue on with their lives. Billy Jo isn't comfortable with her father, but does as what she's told. "I don't know who he is anymore, he looks like my father, smells like my father, but he's like a stranger." Hesse has written this book with much thoughtfulness.