It is 1975. Hà, almost 10, celebrates Tết—the Vietnamese holiday recognizing the beginning of the lunar calendar—with her mother and brothers. No one works or cleans on this day; smiles and good behavior are important, as they indicate what to expect in the coming year. Hà knows that tradition calls for a male in the family to wake, rise first, and bless the house on Tết, but she does not think a tradition like that is fair to girls. She secretly puts one toe on the floor before anyone is awake. Later, Mother’s fortune teller says that the lives of Hà’s family “will twist inside out” (4) this year.

Hà’s home in South Vietnam is conflicted by war. Her father, who served in the navy, has been missing since just before Hà’s first birthday. Older brothers Quang (21), Vũ (18), and Khôi (14) sometimes tease Hà about her name, though Mother says they love Hà very much. The family is poor; the war causes a troubled economy and food shortages. Hà owns few possessions. She has only one pair of sandals; her only doll is handmade and has the bite marks of mice on its face.

Hà’s prize possession is her papaya tree, which grew accidentally in the backyard from a seed she tossed.