The Magic Fish
Trung Le Nguyen
Tiến, a Vietnamese American teenager, reads fairy tales aloud to help his immigrant mother learn English. He is also in love with his friend Julian and is trying to tell his parents about his sexuality, while facing homophobia from teachers at his Catholic school. His mother’s journey to Vietnam after her own mother dies brings back memories of leaving as a refugee. The graphic novel interweaves Tiến’s present, his mother’s memories and travel, and versions of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. Separate color schemes distinguish the three storytelling strands.
This book appears on 3 reading lists across 1 edition from 3 organizations.
