The Magic Fish, Trung Le Nguyen
The Magic Fish, Trung Le Nguyen
List: $15.00 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.50

The Magic Fish

Author: Trung Le Nguyen

Narrator: Ivan Mok, Quyen Ngo, Full Cast

Unabridged: 1 hr 19 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/01/2025

Synopsis

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by the New York Public Library • Kirkus Reviews • Booklist • Publishers Weekly

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, adapted for audio, that deals with the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together.

Real life isn't a fairytale.

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 beautiful story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that’s accessible for listeners of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what—we can all have our own happy endings.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Kai on September 13, 2020

"Joy is a precious thing. And precious things are few. So we learn to hold on to them." This was the most amazing graphic novel. It's a fairytale retelling, a coming out story, a story about immigration and communication and love. Tiến is 13, has a crush on his best friend Julian, and loves to read fa......more

Goodreads review by s.penkevich on June 21, 2023

‘We tell ourselves stories in order to live,’ wrote Joan Didion. Stories help us contextualize the world around us and at a young age has been shown to shape our empathy and help us grow. The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen is a stellar graphic novel that shows the interplay between life and liter......more

Goodreads review by daph pink ♡ on June 29, 2022

4 stars ✨ ❤️ The book was breathtaking beautiful. The art and illustrations are lovely and intricate. It made me laugh and cry at the same time. It was innocent and sweet and at the same time portrays the aggression experienced by immigrants and queer people. And that ending was so sweet. I hugged my......more

Goodreads review by anna on November 02, 2020

rep: Vietnamese-American gay mc, Vietnamese mc, Vietnamese characters, sapphic characters tw: cannibalism, off page death, on page death, murder, blood, homophobia ARC provided by the publisher. It’s a simple story at the first glance but don’t be fooled, there’s so much going on here, you’ll be t......more

Goodreads review by Kelsey (munnyreads) on June 06, 2022

Beautifully written, visually enchanting, and a final page to hit you right in the feels. Absolutely brilliant.......more

Quotes

A Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 2020 Blue Ribbon Selection

“[A] gorgeously drawn…story of a first-generation Vietnamese American who is struggling with coming out to his parents.” —Forbes

“A sparkling debut…about the child of Vietnamese immigrants who teaches through fairy tales—yet wrestles with how to come out to his family.” —The Washington Post

"Infused with emotional depth and integrity, this coming-of-age story broadens the range of Vietnamese American creative voices in books for young people.” —The Horn Book, Starred 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

“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

“Nguyen’s poignant debut captures the perspectives of, and essence of the bond between, a parent and child, proving that language—and love—can transcend words.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“How do you tell stories within stories within stories? Ask Trung Le Nguyen, who seamlessly blends family history, fairy tales, and a 1998 coming-out tale in this remarkable intergenerational graphic novel.” —The Bulletin, Starred Review

Awards

  • International Literacy Association
Add to Cart
Add to Wish List