Ha, a young Vietnamese girl in the 1970s, loves her life. She loves her brothers, even if they're a little annoying. She loves her papaya tree. She loves being smart, and picking on the girl she shares a desk with at school. 
 But then there was the war, and she and her family had to flee. They left Vietnam on a ship, crowded and starving, to new lands. They eventually find a sponsor in Alabama that will host the entire family, so they can start a new life together. 
 It's really hard reading something like this, because you know it's based on true events. You know how much Ha loved Vietnam, and how smart she was, but now she has to go to a place she hates with people who think she's stupid because she can't speak the language. Neighbors slam the door in her face. Classmates shun her. It honestly makes me sick. 
 But that's what makes it a good read. The poetry is simple; it gets straight to the point. She tells you how she feels, and it's more heartbreaking because she's only a child--because she views the world through a child's eyes, but these are not things any child should have to experience.