From Powells.com
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Staff Pick
Every page of The Magic Fish is a feast for the eyes and heart. Smart, powerful, and lovingly done. Recommended By Hannah W., Powells.com
I love the art and inventive storytelling in this stunning young adult graphic novel. Tien has a secret that he wants to share with his parents and he's trying to find the right words for it. Tien speaks mostly English, while his parents speak mostly Vietnamese. They connect as a family by reading stories together. Using a beautiful color palate, Trung Le Nguyen weaves together the family’s past and present with the fairy tales they share, helping Tien find the words to come out to his family. Recommended By Jennifer H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Tiến loves his family and his friends...but Tiến has a
secret he's been keeping from them, and it might change everything. An
amazing YA graphic novel that deals with the complexity of family and
how stories can bring us together.
Real life isn't a fairy tale.
But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his
parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard
enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến,
he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling
with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going
through?
Is there a way to tell them he's gay?
A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a
young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairy tales, an instant
classic that shows us how we are all connected.
The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible
with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what — we can all
have our own happy endings.
Review
"Warm, loving family and friends are a refreshing alternative
to immigrant stories that focus on family problems. Beautifully
illustrates how sharing old stories can be the best way to learn how to
share new ones." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Review
"The magic happens here on every page, the perfection personified by debut author/artist Nguyen's autobiographical homage to the infinite power of storytelling." Booklist (Starred Review)
Review
"[A] gorgeously-drawn...story of a first-generation Vietnamese American who is struggling with coming out to his parents." Forbes
About the Author
Trung Le Nguyen, also known
as Trungles, is a comic book artist and illustrator working out of
Minnesota. He received his BA from Hamline University in 2012, majoring
in Studio Art with a concentration in oil painting and minoring in Art
History. He has contributed work for Oni Press, BOOM! Studios, Limerence
Press, and Image Comics. He is particularly fond of fairy tales, kids'
cartoons, and rom-coms of all stripes.
The Magic Fish is his debut graphic novel.