“Easy read that gives a realistic picture of life in Central Iowa during the Great Depression. You will find yourself cheering for Clabe & Leora at every turn. A great read aloud for children & grandchildren that lends itself to countless teachable moments.” – S. D. Vannoy, Amazon Customer

The Wilson family slowly slides into unemployment and poverty. Leora must find ways to keep her dreams alive while making a haven for her flock of seven children in one run-down house after another.

I kept chapters short, in hopes that students will also enjoy reading these stories. I certainly wish I’d discovered a book like this one when I was a student!

Tim Ross’s website “Timbits.”

Here are the names of the chapters in Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression:

Chapter 1--Danny’s Earache
Chapter 2--Mastoidectomy
Chapter 3--Penn Township
Chapter 4--Independence Day at Dexfield Park
Chapter 5--Acreage at the Edge of Dexter
Chapter 6--Clabe’s Stories
Chapter 7--The Cow Dries Up
Chapter 8--Whooping Cough
Chapter 9--Decoration Day
Chapter 10--Husky and the Pack of Dogs
Chapter 11--Paving of the Great White Way
Chapter 12--1930
Chapter 13--Grandpa’s Heart Attack
Chapter 14--Guilt and Consolation 
Chapter 15--Clabe’s Surgery
Chapter 16--The Sheepshed
Chapter 17--Yet Another Move
Chapter 18--First High School Graduates
Chapter 19--Delbert to California
Chapter 20--Bonnie and Clyde
Chapter 21--A Biplane Ride Before School
Chapter 22--Delbert and Donald Join the Navy
Chapter 23--Running the Town Pump
Chapter 24--Machine Perm in Redfield
Chapter 25--Rusty the Pet Squirrel (Rusty is on the cover of the book)
Chapter 26--The Panama Canal
Chapter 27--A Suspicion Before Christmas
Chapter 28--The Imbedded Needle
Chapter 29--Goffs Move to Omaha
Chapter 30--Gossip
Chapter 31--Clabe Becomes a Hobo
Chapter 32--Spats
Chapter 33--The Canning Factory
Chapter 34--New Deal Jobs
Chapter 35--’Possum for Birthday Dinner
Chapter 35--Blizzards
Chapter 37--Basketball Tourney
Chapter 38--Pollywogs Become Shellbacks
Chapter 39--Another Dexter High School Diploma
Chapter 40--California Visitors
Chapter 41--American Institute of Business
Chapter 42--Discharged from the Navy
Chapter 43--California Jobs Fizzle
Chapter 44--Bounty for Starlings
Chapter 45--Dallas County Champs
Chapter 46--Minburn and More Graduates
Chapter 47--Leora
Afterword: How I Learned Everything