The Fearless Ha
I picked Inside Out and Back Again for my free verse book. I REALLY loved it. I loved Ha’s genuine and raw voice. Her words were all so necessary. Every poem throughout the book gave us a piece of information about their everyday struggles or who she was as a person. It was refreshing to see that despite everything she was going through her childlike stubbornness and determination always won. This book made me take a step back and look at my life through new eyes. It’s so very overwhelming to have those moments where you are fully reminded of your privilege. There were many lines throughout this book that are so simple yet full of so much power. One of my favorite lines that has stuck with me was,
“People share
when they know
they have escaped hunger.
Shouldn’t people share
because there is hunger?”(p. 93).
This quote hit me really hard and I found myself going back to it over and over again. It made me feel so thankful for children authors who have used their gift to spread these worldwide issues to young kids. Growing up I knew that there was hunger, war, homelessness, death, etc. I knew it in high school too. But these things weren’t really talked about at all when I was going through elementary school and even high school. The only place it was talked about briefly was in church. It wasn’t until I was in my freshman year of college that I was smacked in the face with the reality and brokenness that human beings are experiencing everyday around the world.
I would love to use this book in a classroom. It would open up discussions about the history surrounding the Vietnam War, but it wouldn’t be straight out of a textbook. It would be from the viewpoint of Ha which is so much better and a lot easier for kids to be able to attempt to relate to.
Cento using lines from Inside Out and Back Again:
As we glide away
I wish she wouldn’t try to make something bad better.
but at times I know words are just words.
Because I can’t wish for him to appear until I know where we’ll be.