Dust

Bowling, Dusti. Dust. 2023. 304p. ISBN 9780316414234.

Avalyn, who moved to Clear Canyon City, Arizona, ten years ago for its dry air after a near-fatal asthma attack, finds her ability to breathe freely threatened by the arrival of Adam. Adam, a quiet and disheveled new student, immediately becomes a target for the bullies who have long tormented Avalyn and her friends. As Avalyn gets to know him, she begins to suspect a supernatural connection between his emotional state and the sudden, strange increase in dust storms plaguing the town.

The situation escalates as massive black walls of dust begin to roll in after school, hinting at more severe problems in Adam's home life. Avalyn is faced with the daunting task of standing up for her new friend, a decision that could have profound implications for her own well-being, as her very ability to breathe seems to depend on it. 

While the premise offers an intriguing blend of supernatural elements and social commentary, the execution struggles to fully develop the emotional depth of Avalyn's connection to Adam's powers, leaving the magical realism feeling underdeveloped in favor of the interpersonal drama. Readers will still appreciate this tale of resilience and will cheer Avalyn on as she tries to help another person who really needs it!

Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War

Deibel, Zachary. Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War. Part of the Primary Sources of Westward Expansion series. 2018. 64p. ISBN 978-1-5026-2643-1. Available at 973.62 DEI on the library shelves.

With the purchase of the Louisiana Territory and its exploration complete, the United States turned to surveying and occupying this new land. The idea of Manifest Destiny, that Americans were destined to control the continent from sea to sea, became anchored in the popular imagination. Who else was better suited to rule this space than White Protestants English speakers? As it continued to grow, the country began to encroach on European colonies, and acquisitions by peace or by force were inevitable. The new country acquired Florida, and open revolt in Mexico led to the establishment of Texas as a Republic. The conflict simmered and led to the Mexican-American War, where the United States army defeated the Mexicans. In the resulting peace settlement, the United States acquired Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and California.

Relations with Native American groups encountered during the western expansion were also negative, with Americans stealing land and forcing Native Americans to move under duress. Manifest Destiny also impacted foreign relations, with the United States announcing that no European powers could dabble in the affairs of the American continents.

This period of expansion led to the country being what it is today, but also caused untold heartaches and destruction as whole ways of lives were irremediably changed.

Books in the Primary Sources of Westward Expansion series include Native American Resistance, Homesteading and Settling the Frontier, The Gold Rush, The Transcontinental Railroad, Lewis and Clark and Exploring the Louisiana Purchase, and Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War.