Plot Summary
Ha, at the young age of 10, must flee Saigon with her mother and two brothers in 1975. They escape war-torn Vietnam and encounter a different kind of cruelty in Alabama. Based on the author's real-life experiences, Ha and her family must learn to adapt to a new way of life and overcome those who terrorize her.
Critical Analysis
Inside Out & Back Again is a novel in verse based on the author's escape from Vietnam at the end of the war. The poem collection chronicles the main character's life in 1975. Dates are included at the end of each diary-like verse to help the reader envision the passing of time. Lai uses free-verse to weave a story which is at times sad but yet uplifting to see the tenaciousness to conquer a new language, culture, homeland, and personal obstacles along the way. When faced with constant bullying Ha laments, "I understand/ and wish/ I could go back/ to not understanding." Flowing lines allow the story to have a gentle, calming effect on the reader, much like the chanting of Ha to keep her from losing her temper. "Chant, my daughter;/ your whispers will bloom/ and shelter you/ from words/ you need not hear." Lai's word choice is precise and brings such vivid imagery. "Her brows/ twist like laundry/ being wrung dry." "Tears of an ugly fish./ I know that to mean/ fake tears of a crocodile." Lai also brings a sense of humor to her character. On learning a new language, "Whoever invented English/ should have learned/ to spell." This novel in verse captures the reader's attention and leaves them wanting more after the last page has been turned. Lai accomplished in her first publication what many fail to do in a multitude of volumes. Inside Out & Back Again: a tale of sorrow, a tale of strife, a tale of resolve, and a tale of new-found respect. A masterful tale of a young girl's journey Inside Out & Back Again.
Awards
Newbery Honor Book, 2012
Review Excerpts
"*Starred Review* Based on Lai's personal experience, this first novel captures a child-refugee's struggle with rare honesty. Written in accessible, short free-verse poems, Hà's immediate narrative describes her mistakes both humorous and heartbreaking with grammar, customs, and dress (she wears a flannel nightgown to school, for example); and readers will be moved by Hà's sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast who spends lunchtime hiding in the bathroom. And even as she begins to shape a new life, there is no easy comfort: her father is still gone." -- Hazel Rochman, Booklist 1/1/11
"Narrating in sparse free-verse poems, 10-year-old Ha brings a strong, memorable voice to the immigrant experience as her family moves from war-torn South Vietnam to Alabama in 1975. First-time author Lai, who made the same journey with her family, divides her novel into four sections set in Vietnam, "At Sea," and the last two in Alabama. Lai gives insight into cultural and physical landscapes, as well as a finely honed portrait of Ha's family as they await word about Ha's POW father and face difficult choices (awaiting a sponsor family, "...Mother learns/ sponsors prefer those/ whose applications say ¿Christians.'/ Just like that/ Mother amends our faith,/ saying all beliefs/ are pretty much the same"). The taut portrayal of Ha's emotional life is especially poignant as she cycles from feeling smart in Vietnam to struggling in the States, and finally regains academic and social confidence. A series of poems about English grammar offer humor and a lens into the difficulties of adjusting to a new language and customs ("Whoever invented English/ should be bitten/ by a snake"). An incisive portrait of human resilience." -- Publisher's Weekly 1/31/11
"Told in verse, each passage is given a date so readers can easily follow the progression of time. Sensory language describing the rich smells and tastes of Vietnam draws readers in and contrasts with Ha's perceptions of bland American food, and the immediacy of the narrative will appeal to those who do not usually enjoy historical fiction. Even through her frustration with her new life and the annoyances of her three older brothers, her voice is full of humor and hope." -- Jennifer Rothschild, School Library Journal 3/1/11
About the Author
For more information visit: http://www.harpercollins.com/author/microsite/about.aspx?authorid=36544
Book Connections
The Lotus Seed -- Sherry Garland; Tatsuro Kiuchi, Ill.
Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam -- Sherry Garland; Trina
Schart Hyman, Ill.
Schart Hyman, Ill.
Vietnam: The Boat People Search for a Home -- photos by John Isaac
Connection Activities
- Have each student consider having to leave their home and all they could carry with them was what would fit in a small bag. What would they bring? Where would they go? How would they feel? Write a poem in response to these questions.
- Invite a Vietnam vet or refugee to come share his/her insights into the people, culture, and war of Vietnam.
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