I fought like h-e-double-toothpick for Inside Out and Back Again to win the Newbery (not an honor, the top award) and that means something coming from me because I was on that Newbery Committee. I loved Norvelt, but IOaBA was a thing of beauty. It made me laugh and cry and finally like novels in verse in a way I hadn't since Out of the Dust. It took me back to my childhood and let me see my elementary school friend Vinh Loi in a new way. I love ya Gantos Boy (you were my creative writing Prof), but I still feel Ha had it all over you that year. So I was overjoyed to get more of the story...but this didn't click for me in the same way. I like it and recommend it...but not up to the first volume.