The Magic Fish

By Trung Le Nguyen

A boy uses fairy tales to bridge cultural gaps and reveal his true self to his parents.

4.5/5 Goodreads · 31,687 ratings

249 pages· 8,670 words· Est. 1.5 hour read

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

Tien, caught between cultures, shares fairy tales with his Vietnamese immigrant mother to bridge their language gap. Yet, one story remains untold—his own. How can he express his identity and come out to his parents when words fail him? As his mother's English improves, Tien must find a way to reveal his hidden self, hoping for acceptance. This beautifully illustrated graphic novel explores family, identity, and the power of stories to unite us.

From the publisher

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by New York Public Library - Kirkus Reviews - Booklist - Publishers Weekly In this gorgeous debut graphic novel, fairy tales are the only way one boy can communicate with his Vietnamese immigrant parents. But how will he find the words to tell them that he’s gay? A powerful read about family, identity and the enduring magic of stories. “One of the most astounding graphic novels of the year” -Entertainment Weekly Tien and his mother may come from different cultures–she’s an immigrant from Vietnam still struggling with English; he’s been raised in America–but through the fairy tales he checks out from the local library, those differences are erased. But as much as Tien’s mother’s English continues to improve as he reads her tales of love, loss, and travel across distant shores, there’s one conversation that still eludes him–how to come out to her and his father. Is there even a way to explain what he’s going through in Vietnamese? And without a way to reveal his hidden self, how will his parents ever accept him? This beautifully illustrated graphic novel speaks to the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together even when we don’t know the words. “A lyrical masterpiece.” -BuzzFeed

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