People
Who loves his baby chick and takes it on the ship?
Brother Khôi
What is Hà's favorite food?
fresh papaya
How does Hà's family escape Saigon?
They escape on a Vietnamese navy ship. Their ship is eventually found by an American ship.
What is "Tết?"
the Vietnamese lunar new year and one of the most important holidays in Vietnamese culture
What is the setting (time and place at the beginning of the book) of Inside Out & Back Again?
1975 (Tết) in Saigon, Vietnam
Who loves Bruce Lee? What is this person's nickname at the end of the book?
Brother Vũ (Vu Lee)
What food does Pink Boy compare Hà's face to?
A pancake
What happened to Hà's father? What does the family accept about him at the end of the book?
He was captured on a navy mission an hour south of Saigon. They accept that he died at the end of the book.
What is the meaning of "gaunt?"
"Who can go against a mother who has become gaunt like bark from raising four children alone?"(p. 54).
(adjective) very thin, usually because of illness, not having enough food, or worry
Where does the American ship take Hà's family?
the island of Guam
Who had a son named Tom who died in Vietnam?
Mrs. Washington (MiSSSisss Washington)
Hà throws three pouches of the food she received as a gift in the trash. What food is it? Why does she throw it in the trash?
dried papaya
It's not the same as fresh papaya--her favorite food.
Why does Mother choose to go to the U.S. instead of Canada or France?
The man behind her in line says that there are more opportunities in America for a family with boys. They can work and get scholarships for college.
What does "endure" mean? What part of speech is it? Can you use it in a sentence?
(verb) to experience and deal with something that is painful or unpleasant without giving up
Ex. The Vietnamese refugees endured a lot of hardship on their journey to the U.S.
What sound in English is really hard for Hà?
The "s" sound
Who lost her amethyst ring at the end of the book?
Mother (Hà's mother)
What food does the cowboy bring Hà's family that they don't like?
fried chicken
What misunderstanding happens with Hà's teacher Miss Scott (MiSSS SScott) when they first meet?
When Hà says her name, Miss Scott thinks that Hà is saying ha, ha, ha and laughing. Miss Scott fakes a laugh.
"Mother smoothes back my hair, knowing the pain of a girl who loves snacks but is stranded on a ship" (p. 81). What does "stranded" mean?
(adjective) left in a place without a way of leaving it
What are some challenges that Hà's family faced in the U.S.? Name at least three challenges.
Language: It was difficult to learn English.
Bullying: Pink Boy bullied Hà.
Racism: The neighbors threw a brick through Hà's family's window. The butcher wouldn't grind Mother's pork at first.
Difficult Work: Mother had bleeding hands from her work.
Homesickness: Hà missed fresh papaya, Tết, and many things about her hometown.
Etc.
Who gave Hà a new doll with black hair on Gift-Exchange Day?
Pem (her new friend in Alabama)
What special food does Hà's family eat during Tết at the beginning and at the end of the book?
bánh chưng (square Vietnamese food made of pork, glutinous rice, and mung beans wrapped in banana leaves)
What happens on Hà's "Most Relieved Day" (October 14)?
Hint: Think about how Mrs. Washington helps improve her life at school.
Hà gets to eat her lunch in the classroom instead of the bathroom. Mrs. Washington packs her a nice lunch that she enjoys. Hà meets two friends--Pem (Pam) and Sssi-Ti-Van (Steven).
What does "intermingling" mean? What do you think this sentence means?
"Our lives will twist and twist, intermingling the old and the new until it doesn't matter which is which" (p. 257).
mixing something (people, ideas, colors, etc.) together
Hà's family will continue to adapt to their new life in the U.S. Their Vietnamese culture will continue to mix with American culture as they find a way to be both Vietnamese and American.
At the end of the book, what jobs do Hà’s brothers want to do in the future? What job does Mother want Hà to have?
Brother Quang wants to be an engineer. Vu Lee wants to be a chef. Brother Khôi wants to be a vet (doctor for animals). Mother wants Hà to be a lawyer.