Most people have at least seen a snowstorm on television, but imagine a storm of dust instead of snow. These were called "black blizzards" in the Dust Bowl, which was the name for the Great Plains of the United States during the 1930s. Readers will learn what transformed green farmland and lush grassland into a disaster area, forcing thousands to leave, and finally how the land was restored. Stunning photographs reflect the conditions, while Make the Grade fact boxes offer more information about this significant period in American history.