Inside Out and Back Again

         Bibliography: Lai, T. (2019). Inside Out and Back Again. Thorndike Press Large Print.                                ISBN 9781432863982

         Plot Summary: Ha, a ten-year old Vietnamese girl, is forced to flee from Saigon and leave                          behind everything she knows and loves in order to escape the Vietnam War. The poem follows her          story from Saigon through her year of travel and living in Alabama. 


          Critical Analysis:  The novel is an autobiography told in verse in the form of Ha's diary as she is forced to flee war torn Saigon and head to America.  It is told in four parts: from her home in Saigon, to sea travel, to arriving in Alabama, and the after to complete the year. The author show us the various emotions and feelings she went through during this transitional period as it is written from her perspective as a 10 year old. She shares the sadness of not knowing where her father has been for the past several years. She describes the horrors at sea as resources are scant and space is tight. She uses figurative language that is both descriptive and relatable. Examples include similes, such as "A seed like a fish eye, slippery shiny black" and "the dew on the green fruit shaped like a lightbulb". Most of the words used are only one or two syllables with longer words being rare. It allows the story to flow in an almost staccato way. Language is simple yet effective. A lovely and well done work of poetry as her first published work.

          Reviews: 

            Kirkus Reviews: "An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse." 

            ALA Booklist: "Based on Lai's personal experience, this first novel captures a child refugee's struggle         with rare honesty."  

          Awards: 

                Newbery Honor Book, 2012

                National Book Award Winner, 2012

            Connections:

            In an English class, have students identify elements of figurative language and symbolism by giving         an example for each or by choosing one element to illustrate from one of the verses.

             Use in English class to introduce novels in verse and have students write their own (brief) biography         in verse.

            In a high school History class, use as an introduction to a lesson on the Vietnam War.  Follow up with     George Takei's They Called US Enemy and discuss how the two experiences were similar and                 different. 






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