Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved this book! As soon as I finished it I started reading it again. Lai uses her own experiences in Vietnam during the war and her new life in the U.S. as the basis for this book. The picture of Vietnam that I carry is of forest and explosions and children running down streets screaming. This book shows the side of Saigon that is everyday life-going to the market, spending time gardening and with family but it doesn't gloss over the sound of the bombing or the hunger. When the family arrives in the U.S. after escaping on a cramped military ship, they face discrimation and adjustment that takes time to face and heal.



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Hidden by Helen Frost

Hidden by Helen Frost

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There are so many things that I like about this book especially the characters and their friendshipss. It is written in prose, which I always enjoy, but the author has added a second dimension to it. There is an explanation in the back of the book about how to read this book to get the entire story of the characters. The kidnapping is written from the pov of the kidnapped child, Wren, but the second half of the book is written from her pov and the child of the kidnapper, Darra. The additional story line is incorporated in the "long" lines of prose from Darra's pov. It is fun to read and add this additional bit of information to the overall story.

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