A Bánh Mì for Two

Nguyen, Trinity. A Bánh Mì for Two. 2024. 224p. ISBN 9781250910837. 

Lan is a dutiful and loving daughter working with her mother in their small bánh mì food stall in Saigon, Vietnam. Ever since her father died, Lan has needed to put her dreams of writing and attending university on ice. Her cousin, who lives with them, pursues his studies and works at the stall too, helping the family get by. With Lan's mother being sick, Lan feels caught and hopeless. Even her famous food blog, A Bánh Mì for Two, which is read by people all over the world and often mentioned by tourists who visit their stall, has suffered from Lan's writing block.

Vivi lives in California, and her parents are also from Vietnam. But their past lives are shrouded in mystery. For her father, it's because he immigrated when he was a toddler, and doesn't remember much about the country. For her mother, it's because dark secrets have shut down any discussion about the past and what life was like there. Vivi doesn't even know if she has relatives still in Vietnam.

When the opportunity to study abroad presents itself, Vivi jumps on it. Weary that her mother would not approve, Vivi tells her parents she's heading to Singapore for a semester, but instead she travels to Saigon. Armed with old photos she stole from her mother, Vivi hopes she can track down her relatives, try all of the places she discovered on A Bánh Mì for Two, and, perhaps even meet the writer, with whom she shared a writing contest application worth a lot of money.

Vivi's dorm is located across the road from Lan's stall, and soon Vivi discovers that Lan is her favorite writer. Vivi makes a deal with Lan. She will help her come up with ideas for the writing contest, and Lan will help her track down her family. As their relationship blossoms into love, both Lan and Vivi learn about their past, gain a better understanding of their parents, and take steps towards their own independent futures.

Fans of light romance will love A Bánh Mì for Two, with its realistic portrayal of two older teen searching themselves for a future that is hidden. The description of food and of Saigon, with its smells and tastes makes the reader salivate and wish they were in Vietnam with Vivi.

The Magic Fish

Nguyen, Trung Le. The Magic Fish. 2020. 256p. ISBN 978-0-593-12529-8. 

Tiến is attending middle school in Middle America in the early 1990s. Both of his parents are refugees from Vietnam who made a new life in the United States. Tiến grew up speaking English and Vietnamese, and he and his mother read stories in English to each other to help her practice her English skills. Tiến's family is not rich. His father works long hours, and his mother is a seamstress, but there's always enough food to eat, and a roof over their head.

Tiến has a secret. He is gay, but he doesn't know how to tell his parents. He doesn't know the words for it in Vietnamese, and he's worried that telling them in English wouldn't be an effective way to communicate this very important part of himself. His friend Claire is in charge of the middle school dance, and she invites both Tiến and their friend Julian. Claire knows that Tiến has a crush on Julian, and she hopes that this will help.

Helen, Tiến's mother is in frequent contact with her family in Vietnam. Her mother is sick, but she hopes her whole family can travel to Vietnam before it's too late. Only the fateful call comes in, letting her know that her mother passed away.

Between these events taking place now are the story of Helen when she was escaping Vietnam, as well as three fairy tales told by Tiến to his mother, and by Helen's aunt to Helen while in Vietnam. These stories all link together to form a fantastic journey that describes the immigrant's abandonment of home and gain of a new home and language. Beautifully illustrated with specific shades of colors for each storyline, The Magic Fish also contains an afterword by the author, who describes his goals for the book and the meaning behind the fairy tales he chose to use. This explanation greatly enhances the book and makes the reader want to read it through again, this time with a more informed eye.