A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A National Book Award Winner
A Newbery Medal Winner
Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee - 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, Ha 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. Ha and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Ha discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family.
Grades 3-7 | Age 8-12 | Lexile 800