Inside Out & Back Again
Ratings41
Average rating4.1
Summary: This novel is written in poetic verse and tells the story of a young girl who comes to America as a refugee with her mother and brothers. The book chronicles her struggles to fit in and survive in her new home all while attempting to maintain her cultural heritage.
I like to occasionally dip into some middle grades, especially award winners but I'm thoroughly at an age where it just feels more or less a waste of my reading time. Not because they're bad by any means but more so I'm years out of the age range and I find next to no enjoyment while reading them unless they're truly special at this point.
A beautiful story of family and change and how hard it is to be an immigrant. Gorgeous!
This book was perfect.
It's a YA/middle grade book — written in verse — telling the story of a 10-year-old girl and her family leaving Saigon during the Vietnam War and emigrating to America.
I can't recommend this one highly enough, and thank you very much to Bonnie for recommending it. It was wonderful, and I loved it.
I know so very little about this time period. History class never made it this far by the end of the year, but I imagine that anyone in a similar situation would be able to relate to the main character's story. I think this is one of those reads that opens a reader's mind and heart and creates the reader empathy I am always on about.
It's the end of the long Vietnam War and Ha and her family live in Vietnam. It's a beautiful place, despite the war going on all around them, with delicious food and lush gardens. Ha does brilliant work in school and she has a wonderful, close-knit family. It's a small Eden in the midst of the terrible war.
Then the family cannot put things off any longer; the country they love is collapsing and they must leave Vietnam. The family escapes on a packed boat and is taken in by a cowboy in the American South and life becomes truly surreal for Ha.
A wonderful book that is deeply sad and wildly hopeful.