Treasures in the Dust

Imaginative Violet and practical Annie have grown up in the dust on neighboring farms. Annie sees a harsh beauty in the ever-shifting dunes of dry dirt that sometimes uncover ancient Indian burial grounds, while Violet dreams of places far away. Violet's family has suffered more from the drought -- losing all their chickens and most of their cows. With three younger brothers and 90-year-old Aunt Miracle to care for, Violet must drop out of school. Then, when Aunt Miracle dies, Violet's family heads west, looking for work to pay off the bank loans, but finding only low pay and a lot of lies. Annie's family stays on their farm, fighting the dust storms and eking out a living, while Annie continues to find treasures in the dust to add to her collection of arrowheads. This is the first novel for a published poet.