Take a real situation and insert a hint of the supernatural. If done right, it's a formula that can be amazing. If you've read Ingrid Law's Savvy you've seen it done right. And the same can be said of Dust. The key here is that the central problems are based in the world as we know it. Avalyn is an outsider in middle school, coping with chronic medical issues and constant bullying. These are standard, relatable issues. So, unfortunately, is abuse. That's a tough topic to introduce in a middle grade book but Bowling does not shy away from the difficult. While the discussion is not explicit it is certainly present. More important than the specifics of the abuse, though, are the emotions associated. We see the trauma of the abused child, of course, but also how the knowledge and sense of helplessness affects Avalyn. This is a cast of characters with complex emotions and depth that serves the plot well.

Format: audiobook ~ Narrator: Laura Knight Keating
Content: 4.5 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars

Due to her asthma attacks triggered by humid air, Avalyn moved to Arizona as a toddler, where the air is drier. For the last decade, she has been able to breathe normally. However, there is now a sudden increase in dust storms in her hometown.

But she doesn’t have time for health issues now. Avalyn’s thoughts are occupied with her interests, friends, and bullies at school. She is a spelling enthusiast and has an upcoming spelling bee competition. Also, a quiet, mysterious boy moves into her town.

Dust is an excellent middle-grade novel with a powerful message. It deals with serious topics like bullying and child abuse. I love the magical realism woven into the story. New words and spellings are a great addition to this novel. Readers can expand their vocabulary. Dust made me think of another excellent middle-grade book: Aftermath by Emily Barth Isler. So, if you enjoyed one of those, I definitely recommend reading the other.

Thanks to Hachette Audio (Little, Brown Young Readers) for the advanced copy and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.

Avalyn navigates life, family, and new friendships in her small town in this magical realism book. While trying to establish her own identity and connect with the secretive new kid, Avalyn also balances her severe asthma and growing environmental difficulties. This book did a really nice job of portraying the experience of a child with a chronic illness, from the physical experience to the emotional toll. The representation of the relationship between Avalyn and her parents was nuanced in exploring how fear for your child's safety and health can lead to tension. The friendship between Avalyn and Dillon felt true to life, though sometimes Dillon's mood changes felt abrupt - which was understandable as we got to know him better. Bowling uses care and thoughtfulness in addressing some difficult subject.

Dust is an amazing book. My children and I listened to it together and by the end, they were begging not to turn it off! The end has us cheering! We especially love reading about a character with asthma so that we can better understand what it would be like to have asthma.

The clean city of Arizona seems to be the answer to Avalyn's Asthma issues. But when a new boy appears in town, there is a cloud of dust. Focused upon bullying, assault and abuse this is a beautiful take on school-going children's life with a hint of magical realism element to it.

The unspoken ways in which the author shows us the impact of the surroundings in which a child grows, developing an acceptance level to unacceptable things. Be it letting others downcast them, bully them or abuse them. The underlying importance of a small push towards change goes a long way to building up a domino effect. The approach to introducing these topics to children is done in a very subtle way. Half the time I was busy deducing the sandstorm mystery while the story was also hinting towards other angles.

Thank you @netgalley @hachetteaudio @dustibowling for the ARC.

Genre: #middlegrade #fantasy #magicalrealism
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

OOooof this was SUCH a big-hearted middle grade novel. I adored the main character Avalyn and her struggles with asthma.

The asthma disability rep was EXCELLENT in this book but what made it really special for me was the focus on the importance of words (Avalyn is a spelling bee enthusiast) - words and definitions are sprinkled throughout the book (a great way for young readers to expand their vocabularies). But even more crucial was the way Avalyn's words are her 'super power' in this story.

With her voice she finds the courage to speak up when one of her friends is being physically abused by a relative and the author handles this subject so well!! Great on audio narrated by Laura Knight Keating and HIGHLY recommended!!

This is definitely going to be a standout middle grade read for me this year!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!