The Magic Fish

Bibliographic Information:

Title: The Magic Fish

Author: Trung Le Nguyen

Publisher: Random House Graphic

Copyright date: 2020

ISBN: 978-1984851598

Reading interest level: Ages 12-up (Publishers Weekly)

Genre: LGBTQ+

Format: Graphic Novel 

Awards or Honors: 

• ALA Notable Children's Books - Older Readers Category: 2021
• YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens: 2021
• International Literacy Association Award for Young Adult Fiction: 2021
• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics: 2020
• Nominated for Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist
• Nominated for Harvey Award for Best Children or Young Adult Book and for Book of the Year: 2021

Summary of the plot

Author Trung Le Ngyen reads from his graphic novel The Magic Fish

Plot Summary:

Tien, a 13-year-old Vietnamese boy, enjoys reading books from the library. His mother, Helen, is still trying to improve her English, after immigrating from Vietnam. She asks Tien to read her a story out loud so she can listen while she works. Because of the language and cultural differences, Tien struggles with how his parents will react when he tells them he is gay. His mother misses her mother in Vietnam, and wants to take her son there to meet his grandmother. They find a bond in the fairytales they read together. The story is told through Tien's struggle to come out, Helen's reminiscing about her mother in Vietnam. and the fairy tale stories they read together.

Speed-Round Table Talk:

Tien is trying to find a way to tell his mom that he is gay, and his mother wants to improve her English so she can better communicate with her son. They find a connection in the fairy tales Tien finds at the library, so he reads them out loud to his mother. Together they share a bond over the tales and it connects their lives, in a way that shows them that their stories are the same.

Critical Evaluation:

First, I will mention the brilliant art and color usage in The Magic Fish. The story takes place in the present, which is represented in red; the past, which is in yellow; and in the fairy tale world, which is in blue. I am not a frequent graphic novel reader, so I found the design strategy to be very easy to follow. I immediately knew what was happening, and who was narrating that part of the story. Nguyen's fairy tale designs are elegant and flowing, as you can see in the image below. The way the hair flows of the princess, gives it a dreamy quality. There are three fairy tales that are told in this book, and they all relate to what is happening with Tien or his mother. They are able to speak about their own lives through fairy tale. Mother and son have trouble relating their feelings to each other, so they do it through the stories. 

It was easy to connect to the characters emotionally. Tien's mother left a Vietnam at war, and travelled to America without her family. It also reflected on the long process it takes for an immigrant to obtain citizenship. It took Hien eight years, and in that time she could not see her mother. Luckily, Tien had a terrific group of friends that supported him. One could sense the burden he carried, and his friends helped him to carry it. The ending was satisfying too, and I liked how Nguyen ended the book like a fairy tale. 

Author Description: 

"Trung Le Nguyen, also known as Trungles, is a [Vietnames-American] comic book artist and illustrator working out of Minnesota" (Penguin Random House, n.d.). Nguyen "was born in a refugee camp somewhere in the Phillipine province of Palawan" (Nguyen, n.d.-a). He has illustrated other comics, but The Magic Fish is his first graphic novel. I would say it is a very good start.

Creative Use for a Library Program:

Fairy tales are prominent in The Magic Fish. They help mother and son to bond and communicate. I would have a discussion about fairy tales and how lessons they may teach about real life. I would also ask for retellings of fairy tales, to add a twist to them. The teen group could also put on a fairy tale puppet show for younger children.

Potential Challenge Issues:

This book does not have profanity, violence, or sexual content. However, it is about an LGBTQ+ character who has a crush on a boy, and is trying to find a way to tell his parents. There is a scene where a priest is called in to speak to Tien about his behavior. There may be some that also feel like Tien's behavior is innapropriate. I would defend the title by stating the library seeks to include books that represent perspectives for all community members. The book has also received several awards, and is on the YALSA list for great graphic novels. It is also nominated for book of the year from the Harvey Awards.

Reason for Inclusion:

This is a coming out story of a child of an immigrant trying to find out how to come out to his Vietnamese mother. Tien has never been to Vietnam, so the culture is foreign to him. He is unsure if his mother will understand. I am sure that many children of immigrants can understand that cultural difference, so I thought this was an important story in an inclusive collection.