Inside Out & Back Again

Inside Out & Back AgainWritten By: Thanhha Lai

Ha is moving.  She expects things to be different, but not the complete opposite from everything she has ever known.  When the Vietnam War reaches her home, she flees to a new country where they trade friends, flavorful foods, mountainous lands, language, and much much more to live in America in the hopes of finding peace and starting over.  Ha has an incredibly unique voice that will draw you into her world where confusion and hope collide into a kind of bravery that will have you wishing she could jump off the page.

Discussion/Project Ideas:

1. Vietnam Veterans are an important, living part of our history. Ask an adult to help you get in contact with a veteran and ask him to tell you about his experience. Record your information. Try to not use any terms that would put judgement on the experience.

2. Compare your discussion with at least two others who have had the same type of discussion with a veteran. What do their experiences have in common and how do they differ? Choose three things that are different about their experiences and explain why these stories differed.

3. Write an opinion paper on why you think history is easy or difficult to write about. Take into account points of view, personal experiences, emotions, how extensive one person’s knowledge on a topic is capable of being, and availability of unbiased evidence/memorabilia.
 

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