Thanhha Lai, Author
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lai, Thanhhà. 2011. INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061962783.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Inside Out & Back Again is a novel composed of poems that follows a young girl named Hà as she leaves her home of Vietnam after the fall of Saigon and immigrates to the United States. The short poems capture her experience in both countries, including wars, loss, cultural changes, bullying, and the adjustment to a new language and home in Alabama. It follows her emotional journey of adaptation while grieving the life she knew and had to leave behind.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This novel is composed of short poems that express emotional experiences of the narrator. The structure curated by Thanhhà allows the reader to feel the immediacy of Hà’s thoughts and emotions as they read. Each poem is a snapshot of a memory with a powerful narrative. There is a use of simple emotional language that allows the reader to see the child’s process of trauma and cultural change. It shows the contrast between life in Vietnam and life in America through the challenges of immigration and language barriers.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
School Library Journal – “A series of poems about English grammar offer humor and a lens into the difficulties of adjusting to a new language and customs”
5. CONNECTIONS
- Students may be able to connect with this book in discussions on immigration, identity, and cultural adjustments in social studies or also through personal experiences.
- Related Books:
Engle, Margarita. ENCHANTED AIR
Frost, Helen. DIAMOND WILLOW
The Literary Compass 