Thanhha Lai facts for kids

Thanhha Lai (Vietnamese: Lai T. Thanh Hà; born January 1, 1965) is a Vietnamese-American writer. She writes amazing books for children and young adults.

In 2011, she won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She also received a Newbery Honor for her very first novel, Inside Out & Back Again. This special book was published by HarperCollins.

About Thanhha Lai's Life

Thanhha Lai was born in Saigon, Vietnam, on January 1, 1965. She grew up with six older brothers. When she was ten years old, her family had to leave Vietnam. This happened during a time called the Fall of Saigon, when the war there ended.

Her family moved to Alabama in the United States. Later, Thanhha Lai went to the University of Texas, Austin. She studied journalism and finished her degree in 1988. After that, she worked as a reporter for about two years.

She then earned a special degree called a Master of Fine Arts from New York University. She moved to New York City and now teaches at Parsons The New School for Design. Today, Thanhha Lai uses the name Thanhhà Lại on her website. She lives in Croton-on-Hudson.

Her Famous Book: Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out & Back Again is a very popular book by Thanhha Lai. It tells a powerful story using short, poetic sentences. The book is about a girl named Hà and her family. They have to leave their home and move to America. There, they face new challenges like different customs and languages.

Thanhha Lai worked on an adult novel for 30 years. But she found that writing from the point of view of a 10-year-old girl was much better. She said that using "a few precise, pungent words" could make emotions "explode."

In the story, the character Hà sometimes feels that she would choose wartime in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama. The book shows how she learns to adjust to her new life in Alabama. One reviewer said it was touching to see Hà go from feeling smart in Vietnam to struggling in the United States. She eventually gains her confidence back.

Thanhha Lai explained that Hà felt "dumb" in Vietnam. For Hà, being smart meant she could handle her world. That's why she might prefer wartime in Saigon. In America, the little girl writes:

So this is

what dumb

feels like.

Other Works

• Watermark: Vietnamese American poetry & prose. Asian American Writers' Workshop. 1998. — This is a collection of writings that includes some of Thanhha Lai's work.
• Inside Out & Back Again. HarperCollins. 2011. — This book won the National Book Award and was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal.
• Hundred Years of Happiness. HarperCollins. 2022.

See also

• Children's literature