When Clouds Touch Us (and other updates)

"I'm often labeled a children's writer, even a poet at times. I think of myself as a storyteller who writes about the ages when I have the most stories to tell. While these stories are set in trauma, I do emphasize humor, because in the midst of tumult there is joy. We lived through a war—my father missing in action, my mother gaunt with worry—but I still remember us laughing."

Finding words after wartime: Thanhhà Lại on discovering her voice via the Washington Post

I wrote the above piece for the Washington Post about discovering my voice several times over. As a young refugee in Alabama, it took months for me to learn enough English to yell back at bullies. When I set out to write my first book, it took me 15 years to find a voice for ten-year-old Hà.

Now, 12 years after publishing Inside Out & Back Again, I'm rediscovering Hà's voice in my new book, When Clouds Touch Us. This story picks up two years into the future when Hà is uprooted yet again. Her life and family are still chaotic but also full of love and humor. I can't wait for you all to be reintroduced.

When Clouds Touch Us comes out on May 9th. You can pre-order it from any major bookseller or, ideally, your favorite independent bookstore :)

May you also find joy in the midst of tumult 💛