The Wind Before the Dawn

"The Wind Before the Dawn" by Dell H. Munger is a story that follows fourteen-year-old Lizzie Farnshaw on the Kansas prairie in the early 1900s, showing her life of poverty and hard work while she dreams of something more. The book paints a picture of a tough world with its descriptions of weather and work on the prairie, where Lizzie must work tirelessly to keep the cattle in line, dealing with natural disasters like grasshoppers that threaten her family's survival. She also experiences a sense of loss when her friend Luther leaves, which makes her long for a better life beyond the prairie, "East," and illustrates how she balances her big hopes with her many responsibilities.