by Thanhha Lai
First published 2023
Two years after fleeing the Vietnam War, Hà has finally begun to feel at home in Alabama. Her family has built a new life in America through hard work and determination. Just as Hà starts to believe she belongs somewhere, her mother announces they must move to Texas for a job opportunity. Hà dreads starting over again. She knows the struggle of learning new places, making new friends, and proving herself once more. The family packs up their carefully constructed life and heads to unfamiliar territory. In Texas, Hà must navigate different schools, different neighbors, and different expectations. She resists the change at first, clinging to what she left behind in Alabama. But gradually, unexpected friendships form and new possibilities emerge. This second chapter of Hà's American story captures the particular challenge faced by refugee families who must rebuild not once but repeatedly, always balancing survival with the hope of finding a true home.
Genres: family-life, american-fiction, american, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Alabama, Texas, Vietnam
Period: 2 years after Vietnam War
256 pages · Hardcover · HarperCollins