A YEAR WITHOUT HOME

Bidania distills her family’s experiences as refugees into resonant historical fiction.

It’s 1975, and Gao Sheng lives “in a sunny mountain town” in Pao Kao, Laos, in a house with plenty of room for her extended family: nine adults and 11 kids. Eleven-year-old Gao Sheng silently, obediently helps with cooking, shopping, and child care: “This is what’s expected / of the oldest daughter.” When the communists take over, her father’s army service alongside Americans puts the family at risk, forcing them to flee. The scattered clan members endure separation, survive two Thai refugee camps, and start new lives in America. Gao Sheng is an insightful witness, keenly aware of her 8-year-old brother’s elevated status just because he’s male, while she’s overlooked: “My arms drop to my sides, / limp and wilted.” Despite disappointments, she’s steadfast in fulfilling her mature responsibilities. But when she finally refuses to keep quiet—“Today / I will be loud / I will show my strength”—her family sees and eventually acknowledges and proudly appreciates her. An epilogue describes Gao Sheng’s arrival in Wisconsin with her parents and siblings. The candid verse deftly grounds precious experiences in tangible reminders—peach seeds that Gao Sheng saves to plant “someday, / when the country is at peace,” and soft buns that taste “like sugar and happiness.” 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.