Out of the dust is a novel about a young girl and her family. Her name is Bille Jo because her father wanted a boy so bad. Bille Jo is a fierce young girl who can handle just about every thing throw at her because her father built her strong mentally and some what physically. Bille Jo might end up with a baby sibling after all her mother is expecting, and if lucky for her dad it will be a baby boy so maybe Bille Jo can have a little more feminism. Bille Jo can't understand why grown men can be so foolish. Grown men hunting and killing poor rabbits because of eating there crop and for a silly little bet. She doesn't understand what the men want the rabbits to do after all they do mow everything the rabbits are supposed to eat. When Bille Jo's best friend Livie moved west out of the dust to California, which was sad because Livie and Bille Jo had been best friends since first grade. Arley Wanderdale teaches music to Bille Jo. Bille Jo's mother says he's no teacher just a local song plugger. Bille Jo doesn't agree plus Arley gave Bille Jo a piano solo at the palace theatre. When asking mom for permission Bille Jo need to catch mom at the perfect time so that she could get a yes. Bille Jo did this when mom was working, doing the wash, or even scrubbing. Bille Jo did just her plan she waited till her mom was doing something to get her mind off the baby (stirring biscuits) and then she popped the question knowing her mother would not think about the reply. She was right and got permission to go. When Bille Jo is on stage she feels as if the music just comes out, on the left smooth buttery rhymes telling stories, on the right sharp notes telling more stories. Bille Jo played so well at the theater that Arley asked Bille Jo to play at the president's birthday ball and Bille Jo knows ma won't say no to that. Crops haven't been good since the bounty of 31. Bille Jo knows they don't have money or that much food but her mom still donates things when the committee asks.