Review: "Inside Out & Back Again" by Thanhha Lai

Immigration is a hot topic around the world today, and it can be confusing for kids to understand. What better way for a student to learn about immigration than from someone who lived through it as a child? Thanhha Lai has gifted all of us with her beautiful novel in verse "Inside Out & Back Again," loosely based on her own experiences growing up.

Life in Alabama in the 1970s is not easy for a Vietnamese family. Ha barely escaped Saigon with her mother and brothers, surviving the harrowing boat ride to freedom only to find a host of different challenges in America: the complexities and idiosyncrasies of the English language, the taunts of her classmates, and the longing for her missing father and her bygone home. Each poem tells of the struggles they faced, the thoughts and emotions of a little girl, and the history of a people. With a mixture of heart-wrenching and chuckle-inducing entries, "Inside Out & Back Again" authentically expresses the inner workings of Ha as she comes to terms with her new home.

A Newbery Honor book and a National Book Award Winner, "Inside Out & Back Again" is a wonderful example of diverse historical fiction. Many children hear about the Vietnam War in history class, but few think about the experiences of children who were caught in the conflict. It is particularly valuable in the way it elucidates the struggles faced by children who have immigrated. Recommended for grades four to seven.

--Madeline B., Mid County