For the first ten years of her life, Ha has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by and the security of a happy childhood. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Ha and some of her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. The journey begins the journey of her lifetime. Her father is missing in action and there is such an emotional toll on the family when they flee. In America, Ha discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape . . . and the continuing strength of her very own family. The author has told her story and most of the impact comes from the emotional upheaval of starting over in a strange place.
Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature 2011.
