When clouds touch us by Thanhha Lai

This middle grade verse novel is the follow up to 2011's popular Inside out & back again. The first novel covered a year in the life of 10-year-old Ha and her family, fleeing Vietnam as refugees in 1975. They left behind Ha's father, missing-in-action as a soldier in the Vietnamese army. The family faced much hardship including racism and bullying in their new small town in Alabama, before finally starting to feel settled and at peace.

This new novel takes up the story two years later – it is not necessary to have read the first novel prior to this one as background/context is provided as the story unfolds. Ha’s mother suggested she repeat her first American year of school, which means she is a year older than her classmates, who think she’s just turned 11. “No-one at school knows my secret age so I’ll never again appear dumb”. Ha and her friend, Pam, share a fantastic 'rolling shoe' birthday party before Ha's family must move again. This time they move to Texas (which none of them can pronounce) for a better job for mother, and more options for Ha and her three older brothers.

The absolute highlight of this story is that it is written in the first person and so we connect easily with the way Ha makes sense of her feelings as well as the world around her. The words and descriptions she uses gives real insight into how confusing, overwhelming, ridiculous, delightful and strange she finds the new world around her.

The novel gently explores a range of issues facing refugees, using simple language in an age-appropriate way, and ending with a real hope for the future and possibilities ahead. Ample white space on each page helps make this novel appealing for reluctant readers as well. Excellent teacher's notes are available, making this a good choice for a class novel.