Inside Out and Back Again is probably one of my favorite "verse novels" that I've read so far (not that there have been a lot). I think that style worked well for this story, which seeks to simply convey the most immediate and condensed thoughts and experiences of a girl whose family leaves Vietnam right before the fall of Saigon.

This is a segment of history that can get overlooked, because most of the US history I've learned tends to end the story of Vietnam right after the US pulls out. But for Ha (our protagonist), there are a lot of changes experienced not only in Vietnam, but also on the boat and during her time of adjusting to the US in which her family lives in Alabama.

While this is technically fiction rather than memoir, it draws very heavily on the author's similar experiences, which I think really helps the story to feel real. From details of the cuisine and traditions of Vietnam, to the feelings and reactions to American culture, bullying, and the details and difficulties of learning English, Ha's story is compelling and realistic.

Scrounged From: PaperbackSwap.com

Format: Hardcover
Author: Thanhha Lai
Pages: 277
Content Advisory: Scenes of bullying, brief descriptions of war, and some descriptions of parental loss (nonviolent)

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My introduction to Margarita Engle came through her poetic picture books like The Sky Painter (see my review here) and Drum Dream Girl, so when I saw she had written a memoir too, I immediately added it to my reading list. 

Enchanted Air is the first memoir I've read in verse form, which was different in that it's a quicker read than the nearly 200 pages would indicate, and leaves out some details and aspects that would "flesh out" a narrative written in regular prose. But an advantage to this form is that each line and word carries a lot of meaning. Recurring themes such as flight and air are easier to spot and relate to each other, and so many events, images, and feelings can be distilled into each poem. Even though it's quicker to read, I often wanted to dwell on a section for a few minutes, making sure I didn't miss too much imagery for the sake of the narrative.

The book follows Engle's first fourteen years of life, focusing on her trying to reconcile the two halves of her identity: American (like her father) and Cuban (like her mother). Though the family lives in California and visits Cuba yearly, Engle feels like a different person in each place. Cuba is beautiful and freeing to her, and it feels magical every time they fly across the water to reach it. 

But then the Cuban Missile Crisis happens, and everything changes. Engle feels estranged from a large piece of her identity, and fearful at the way she hears people talk about Cuba and Cubans. This is a segment of history I did not know much about, so reading it through the eyes of a child was especially powerful.

I really enjoyed this easy-to-read but sometimes heavy memoir that captures the hopes and imagination of childhood, combined with Engle's particular fears and questions about the world and the future. Engle adds a note at the end describing some of what has played out since, including the revival of Cuban relations under President Obama.

Scrounged From: Our local library

Format: Hardcover
Author: Margarita Engle
Pages: 192
Content Advisory: During her junior high years, Engle references many things she sees going on around her -- smoking, drinking, a few different kinds of drugs, teen pregnancy, etc. -- though not explicitly. She also describes very clearly the anxiety and terror she felt during the Missile Crisis.

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