When a drought turns the farmland of the Texas Panhandle into a dry wasteland, eleven-year-old Ray's world begins to crumble. Fierce dust storms blacken the sky and destroy everything in their path.

Ray and his best friend, Dolly, do their chores and go to school. But there's nothing they can do to save their struggling town or the thousands of people who are sick from the filthy air.

Then Ray learns a family secret. He sets out to help his parents . . . and ends up caught in the most vicious dust storm of them all. Will Ray make it through? Will he ever see his parents again?

Includes a section of nonfiction back matter with more facts and photos about the real-life event.