Nancy's Reviews > Days of Sand: A Graphic Novel

Set in 1937, John Clark is a talented young photographer who is employed by the Farm Security Administration to document life in Oklahoma and the horrible Dust Bowl that is destroying the region. He is given a script of what to look for, so he travels to the barren state and diligently begins photographing what the FSA wants. But he doesn’t take into account the dignity of the people, and he realizes he is insulting many people and the pictures don’t tell the exact truth of the matter. He then meets Betty, a pregnant widow living with her extended family, and he instantly falls in love with the resilient young woman with eyes like oceans. Temporarily staying in a motel, he endures the dust storms and gets to know the locals. The story ends heartbreakingly, as John endures himself the anguish that many people faced.

Surprisingly, the author and illustrator Aimée de Jongh is from the Netherlands, as she captured an iconic time in America’s history so well. Still, she did her research with a trip to Oklahoma and visits to the Library of Congress and other history organizations. Thus her illustrations really captured the environmental devastation that was affecting Oklahoma and some surrounding states. Colored in sepia tones, with a mix of panel placements, readers will really get a sense of the era and people. There were some lovely full-page illustrations. I appreciated that reprints of real photographs taken during the Dust Bowl by FSA photographers Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, and Arthur Rothstein are included throughout the book.

I actually read this book last year when I was part of the 2022 Best Graphic Novels for Adults Committee through the American Library Association. It made our Top 10 list, so I was determined to make sure I reviewed it before this year ended. This historical fiction gives a nuanced view of a devastating time for many American families, and its evocative illustrations bring the late 1930s to life.

This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2023/12/2...