Thanhha Lai Young Readers' Collection

Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Thanhha Lai won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the Newbery Honor for her debut novel, Inside Out and Back Again. This collection includes Inside Out and Back Again along with her newest novel, Listen, Slowly. Inside Out and Back Again: Inspired by the author's childhood experience of fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama, this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration. For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. 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 . . . and the strength of her very own family. Listen, Slowly: Twelve-year-old Mia's parents are sending her, along with her father, on a trip to Vietnam so she can learn more about her roots—and also help her grandmother figure out what really happened to Mia's grandfather during the Vietnam War. Since Mia barely knows the language or customs, she is desperately counting down the days until she can go back home. But the next few weeks are a life-changing experience. As time passes, Mia begins to have a change of heart, growing closer to her family and developing an understanding of a culture and an entire world which that she never really knew about. From the refugee camps of the past to the bustling cities of modern-day Vietnam, these two award-winning novels explore what it means to find your place in the world. The Refugee Experience: Follow ten-year-old Hà as she escapes the Fall of Saigon and must build a new life as an immigrant in Alabama, told through stunning free-verse poems. A Journey of Cultural Identity: Twelve-year-old Mia thinks a summer in Vietnam will be boring—until she starts uncovering clues about the grandfather she never knew. Two Coming-of-Age Stories: This collection features two powerful and distinct young voices, each navigating the complexities of family, heritage, and finding where they belong. The Vietnamese American Experience: From a first-generation refugee to a modern American-born teen, explore two sides of the immigrant story in this poignant and hopeful collection.