by Thanhha Lai
No one would believe me but at times I would choose wartime in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama.
For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, 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. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà 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 very own family.
This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next.
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"Starred Review. An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse. In her not-to-be-missed debut, Lai evokes a distinct time and place and presents a complex, realistic heroine whom readers will recognize, even if they havent found themselves in a strange new country." - Kirkus
"Starred Review. The taut portrayal of Hà'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. An incisive portrait of human resilience. Ages 8-12." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. Written in accessible, short freeverse poems, Hàs immediate narrative describes her mistakesboth humorous and heartbreaking; and readers will be moved by Hàs sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast." - Booklist
"Starred Review. An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse. In her not-to-be-missed debut, Lai evokes a distinct time and place and presents a complex, realistic heroine whom readers will recognize, even if they havent found themselves in a strange new country." - Kirkus Reviews
"The taut portrayal of Hàs 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. An incisive portrait of human resilience." - Kathi Appelt, bestselling author of Newbery Honor Book The Underneath
"American and Vietnamese characters alike leap to life through the voice and eyes of a tenyearold girla protagonist so strong, loving, and vivid I longed to hand her a wedge of freshly cut papaya." - Mitali Perkins, author of Bamboo People
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Thanhhà Lai is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Inside Out & Back Again, her debut novel in verse, which won both a National Book Award and a Newbery Honor, and the acclaimed Listen, Slowly, which was named to numerous best book of the year lists. She was born in Viêt Nam and now lives in New York with her family.
For a pronunciation guide provided by the author herself, see teachingbooks.net
Name Pronunciation
Thanhha Lai: Th-ang ha (see biography)
Finishing second in the Olympics gets you silver. Finishing second in politics gets you oblivion.
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