Language is a major element of The Magic Fish, of course, but so is the simple act of storytelling. Through a limited color palette, Trungles is also able to focus on what matters most: The characters' communication with each other. Nguyen's focus on facial expressions and small details brings every interaction to life, whether in a story being read aloud by Tiến or narrated by his mom, or an actual scene taking place in the real world of the book. The dialogue is straightforward and the characters' emotions are never in question, even when they are in flux. His recreation of the fairy tales Tiến reads are as fantastical as they are elegant, and each panel feels like a breath of crisp, cool, refreshing air. It will come as no surprise to fans of Trungles' work that The Magic Fish is a thoroughly stunning debut. Related: Robin Eisenberg Explains the Key to Cosmic Care In Her Intergalactic New Book Whatever happens, they are and will always be worthy of love. It also gives young, queer readers one of the single most important messages they can receive from queer elders: There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. The Magic Fish primarily focuses around fairy tales, but it's also very grounded in real life - and that makes its message and execution all the more potent.Īlthough Tiến is young and this story is primarily aimed at middle-grade readers, the simple fact is that it will appeal to readers of all ages. To underscore this fact, Nguyen includes a scene where Tiến reacts to TV news about Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming who was brutally murdered for his sexuality in 1998. He's also nervous about how his family will react although he knows his parents love him, he knows that some coming out stories don't have happy endings.
Primarily, he cannot find a Vietnamese word for his sexuality, even after asking a librarian for help. There are a few barriers to Tiến coming out. 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.Related: Be Gay, Do Comics Is the Most Digestible History Book of All Time 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 fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. 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.
But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. An amazing YA graphic novel that deals with the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together. Tiến loves his family and his friends…but Tiến has a secret he’s been keeping from them, and it might change everything.
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