Lai, Thanhhà. When Clouds Touch Us. Inside Out & Back Again Series; bk. 2. HarperCollins, 05/2023. 256pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-06-304700-6. GRADES 5 – 7. ADDITIONAL.
In a poetic sequel to Inside Out & Back Again (HarperCollins, 2011) that picks up as sixth grade Vietnamese American Ha must leave her best friend, Pam, in Alabama and move to Texas where her mother and brothers work long hours and she is, once again, the only Asian child in her class. Ha’s verse impressions of strange customs, confusing pronunciation, isolation, and adolescent anguish will resonate with both immigrants and U.S.-born middle schoolers. While the short stanza form is the same as the earlier book, the syntax is more convoluted, and the personal references across decades are harder to decode. Fans of Ha will persevere, but young readers new to the series may struggle. Other characters are mostly white and Hispanic.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired