Close

Login

Lost Password     Register

Close

Register

Lost Password     Login

Close

Lost Password

Login     Register

Book Review

Publisher's Note:

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.…

This review may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using these links, then Compass Book Ratings may earn a small commission.

Inside Out & Back Again

by Thanhha Lai

Reviewer: Cindy M
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: 9+

Overall Book Review:

In 2008 there was a little flutter criticizing the Newbery Award Winners for being out of touch with what children want to read these days.  At first glance, Inside Out and Back Again seems a poster-child for this criticism:  a book with poetry for prose, an artistic title, simple cover art, and a complete lack of the fantasy-based storyline that is so popular with younger readers.  However, Inside Out and Back Again is a book that every adult should consider reading and then they should immediately hand it to a child to read.  This book tells the experience of Ha and her family as they flee Saigon for America.   Along with recent books by Gary Schmidt (Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now), this book fills an under-represented era in children’s historical fiction.  The poetry form of the book is an asset rather than a hindrance and it is a quick, flowing read.  Inside Out and Back Again perfectly fulfills one of the major purposes of great literature:  to the see world through another’s eyes.  Perfectly voiced, beautiful, poetic…read it!


Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  1 religious exclamation

Violence/Gore:  A character threatens to beat another character up; there is a report of a bombing; a brick is thrown through a window; a bully pulls a character’s hair; a character chases and attempts to hit another character.

Sex/Nudity:  None

Mature Subject Matter:

War, Death of a Family Member, Racial Discrimination, Immigration.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

***

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
1
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
2
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
0
10

Share This Post

About the Reviewer

Cindy M
An accountant and CPA by profession, I found myself a book reviewer for Squeaky Clean Reads by happenstance. When the opportunity came to transform that website into Compass Book Ratings, I was excited to seize it and meld my business background with my love of books. As the mother of three teenage sons, I have read a large number of children and young adult books and I believe that there is great value in a content review service. As much as we would love to read everything our children read, there just isn’t enough time. I also appreciate being able to select books for myself that are really worth my precious and limited reading time. I believe there is a book out there for everyone–they just have to find it!

Share Compass Book Ratings