This was a super important read. I have never read a book in verse before. This book stood out not only about the refugee experience but also so many other topics like racism, growing up, adjusting and learning a new language It was a harder read. It made me cry but also put a smile on my face. I really enjoyed how the voice of this character changed throughout this novel. I also liked the differences the narrator stressed about Saigon and also Alabama. I also was struck how much this boom focused on learning english and how hard that process was. It was a standout read to me, as educator it gave me pause, and made me think about how i could adjust my teaching. Such a good read.