Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha LaiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
"White hair on a pink boy.
Honey hair with orange ribbons on see-through skin.
Hair with barrettes in all colors on bronze bread.
I’m the only
Straight Black Hair
On Olive Skin.”
(from Rainbow)
A semi-autobiographical novel in verse, Lai introduces Ha, a young Vietnamese girl forced to leave her home after the fall of South Vietnam. We begin with Ha living in Vietnam and the increasing struggles as the North advances. We journey with Ha as she travels to the United States aboard a ship and settles in Alabama. We witness her struggles to learn English as well as the racism she faces as her family tries to settle into American life. From humorous (Ha’s comparison of English to that of snakes hissing) to devastating (is her father alive or no), Lai presents a beautiful story of a girl coming to terms with her new life in an unfamiliar land and an unfamiliar language. The loneliness that threatens to overwhelm her and her attempts to find her place are felt throughout Lai’s wonderful verses. A great read for middle grade and adults wanting to learn more about the immigrant experience.
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