A Year Without Home

A poignant novel in verse about a Hmong girl losing and finding home in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. For fans of Jasmine Warga and Veera Hiranandani.

"As gripping as it is informative and as beautiful as it is heartbreaking, A Year Without Home does what all great books do: spark curiosity, ignite compassion, and leave its readers changed for the better. The young people who read V.T. Bidania's story will feel energized and empowered to make their future kinder, more peaceful, and more just than either the past or our present."—Jarrett Lerner, award-winning author-illustrator of A Work in Progress

For eleven-year-old Gao Sheng, home is the lush, humid jungles and highlands of Laos. Home is where she can roll down the grassy hill with her younger siblings after her chores, walk to school, and pick ripe peaches from her family’s trees.

But home becomes impossible to hold onto when the communist government takes over after U.S. troops pull out of the Vietnam War. The communists will be searching for any American allies, like Gao Sheng’s father, a Hmong captain in the Lao Army who fought alongside the Americans against the Vietnamese. If he’s caught, he’ll be killed.

As the adults frantically make plans – contacting family, preparing a route, and bundling up their silver and gold, Gao Sheng wonders if she will ever return to her beloved Laos and what’s to become of her family now. Gao Sheng only knows that a good daughter doesn’t ask questions or complain. A good daughter doesn’t let her family down. Even though sometimes, she wishes she could be just a kid rolling down a grassy hill again.

On foot, by taxi and finally in a canoe, Gao Sheng and her family make haste from the mountains to the capitol Vientiane and across the rushing Mekong River, to finally arrive at an overcrowded refugee camp in Thailand. As a year passes at the camp, Gao Sheng discovers how to rebuild home no matter where she is and finally find her voice.

Inspired by author V.T. Bidania’s family history, A Year Without Home illuminates the long, difficult journey that many Hmong refugees faced after the Vietnam War.

Praise for A Year Without Home:

★ "This edifying novel...narrated in evocative verse...makes for a powerful story of personal growth as well as an affecting historical narrative.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “This riveting account, based on the real experience of the author’s family, is told through evocative, urgent prose, equally adept at capturing moments of stillness and beauty as well as those of suspense and horror. The book is many remarkable things: a harrowing history lesson on an often-overlooked war, an incredible account of the love and tension held in a family, a coming-of-age story about a girl bursting with questions and passions, and a sympathetic spotlight on the plight of refugees. It all comes together as a transfixing tale, sure to stay with readers long after they've finished its final page.”—Booklist, starred review

★ “An emotional exploration of the realities of displacement...Readers will find strength within Gao Sheng’s story while learning about the struggles of Hmong Laotian peoples during this turbulent time in history. This beautiful novel will inspire readers who love poetry and historical feminist fiction; a triumph to add to any collection.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“With inviting vulnerability, Bidania transforms her war-torn past into a rallying cry to 'build empathy, curiosity, and awareness.' A lyrical, heartfelt account of personal growth and endurance…Resonant historical fiction.”—Kirkus Reviews

"As gripping as it is informative and as beautiful as it is heartbreaking, A Year Without Home does what all great books do: spark curiosity, ignite compassion, and leave its readers changed for the better. The young people who read V.T. Bidania's story will feel energized and empowered to make their future kinder, more peaceful, and more just than either the past or our present."—Jarrett Lerner, award-winning author-illustrator of A Work in Progress

“A page-turning, heart-thumping, emotionally gripping story of one family’s escape from Laos during the Vietnam War and their harrowing journey across the globe. An important glimpse into the lives of Hmong refugees, their often-untold stories, and their impact on American history. Perfect for fans of Inside Out and Back Again. A Year Without Home is a much-needed addition to any classroom library.”—Colby Cedar Smith, award-winning author of Call Me Athena and The Siren and the Star

"Bidania’s prose sings, and her gorgeous, carefully-threaded images will stay with you long after you finish the novel. A Year Without Home is a deeply-researched novel about Hmong people escaping from Laos after the Secret War; and at the same time, a universally appealing, heart-expanding story of a loving family that stands together through adversity. You will love Gao Sheng and root for her, every step of her journey."—H.M. Bouwman, middle grade author of Scattergood and A Crack in the Sea