Inside Out & Back Again

Inside Out & Back Again is written in verse. Sometimes this puts student readers off. I recommend that readers try a few pages before dismissing this type of book. The story flows quickly. Usually the author uses very effective imagery.

Thanhha Lai fittingly dedicates this book “To the millions of refugees in the world; may you each find a home.” This book is semi-auto biographical about her life in Vietnam before the fall of Saigon and her family’s flight to safety in the United States.

The main character Ha, has three older brothers. Her father has been captured at the beginning of the war. Her mother tries desperately to feed and clothe her children despite her own depression and uncertainty about the fate of her husband. When it becomes apparent that the Americans are losing the war against the Communists, her mother makes the decision to flee the only country she has ever known.

The struggle to secure passage on a ship is filled with hardship. The adjustment to America proves even more difficult for Ha. Students make fun of her straight hair, the clothing she wears, and her customs. Culture shock is extreme for poor Ha.

How will she make her way in this strange land called America? Who will befriend her? Will anyone choose to eat with her in the cafeteria? Will any of the adults at the school see her plight and reach out to her? Read Inside Out & Back Again to begin to understand the trauma that many immigrants face.