Inside Out & Back Again

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

I am often drawn to novels in verse, I admire the way the author has selected just the right words to get across their message, story, and feeling. I imagine that it takes an incredible amount of time to create this kind of book, carefully choosing each word, that it will resonate the strongest, and leave a lasting impression. And this wonderful book did leave a lasting impression.
Summary:
"No one would believe me but at times
I would choose wartime Saigon over
peace time in Alabama."

For all the ten years of her life, Ha has only known Saigon: the thrills of the market, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by ... and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.
But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Ha and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed towards hope. In America, Ha discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape... and the strength of her own family.
This is the moving story of one girls year of change, dreams, grief, and healing, as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next.

I hope that many of you will chose to read this book, it will leave a lasting impression. I hope this book will encourage you to get to know someone outside of your normal circle of friends, and that kindness for others should be an everyday virtue.