The Magic Fish

PRAISE FOR THE MAGIC FISH

"An amazing graphic novel . . . beautiful and brave." - Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese

"Trung Le Nguyen's story overflows with deft line and a voice as inexorable as the tide. The Magic Fish is a tender, stunning testament to the power of story to bind us all together." - Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

"Trung has a voice so unique and powerful that it is difficult to characterize. Books like this give me hope that comics continue to transcend what has come before. I will read everything Trung makes." - Tillie Walden, author of Spinning

"I read this book with tears in my eyes, it's so beautiful. It's a gift to the world when a book that is so needed is this well-executed." - Thi Bui, author of The Best We Could Do

"The Magic Fish wistfully explores the way stories and people cross oceans to find new lives, told with breathtaking, dreamlike artwork. I highly recommend!" - Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

"Words are not enough to express the sublime beauty of The Magic Fish, Trung Le Nguyen's debut graphic novel. Trung's gorgeous, delicate art weaves a lyrical tale full of myth, magic and family heartbreak, but also love and hope. There is wonder on every page, everywhere you look. A must-have!" -- Neon Yang, author of the Tensorate series

"Powerful. . . . highlight[ing] a different kind of heroism: the generosity and care that exists within families." - Entertainment Weekly

"Reading fairy tales together is a routine that brings a boy, Tien, and his immigrant parents closer. The family's communication skills are put to a test when Tien decides to tell his mother he is gay, a world he cannot find in Vietnamese." - The New York Times

"A lyrical masterpiece." - Buzzfeed

"Stunning. . . . a powerful and vital story." - Nerdist

"A graphic novel about the ways in which stories bring people together and help them tell their own story to others." - The Hollywood Reporter

"A raw, beautiful coming out narrative." - BookRiot

"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

"Beautifully illustrates how sharing old stories can be the best way to learn how to share new ones." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Heartbreak and loss are universal; they exist in centuries-old oral stories put to paper, in the lives of parents, and,
despite parental wishes, in the lives of their children. Yet Nguyen finds a way in the face of them to celebrate grace, resilience, and hope." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"The Magic Fish is one of the most astounding graphic novels of the year." - Entertainment Weekly

"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." - Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"Nguyen is a gifted storyteller and the graphic novel format plays to his strengths...These visuals, combined with the thoughtfulness and compassion with which Nguyen handles Tien's emotional journey, make The Magic Fish especially inventive." - The New York Times

"Trung Le Nguyen delivered a sparkling debut with his graphic novel The Magic Fish." - The Washington Post