Enlighten Me
Written by Minh Lê
Illustrated by Chan Chau
Published by Little, Brown Ink
When Bình fights back against a bully who makes fun of his Vietnamese heritage, he expects to be cheered as the hero. He defeated the bad guy, right?
Instead, it gets him a stern warning from his vice principal and worried parents. Now he’s stuck on a family trip to a silent meditation retreat. That means no talking—and no video games!—for a whole weekend. Could things possibly get any worse?
However, when a nun gathers all the kids to tell them the Jataka tales—the stories of the Buddha’s many past lives—Bình takes a fantastical dive into his imagination and starts to see himself in these stories. Will he retreat further into himself, or will he emerge from the weekend open to change?
With any luck, these next few days will prove more enlightening than he thought.
Primary ISBN: 9780759555471
Publication Date: September 2023
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Age 08 or older
Community Represented: Vietnamese/Vietnamese American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Discrimination: Cultural, Discrimination: Racial, Family Relationship: Parents, Family Relationship: Siblings, Format: Graphic Novel, Genre: Fantasy & Folklore, Mental Health, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Religious Background: Buddhist
Setting: Unspecified
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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Source: LB Ink