Enlighten Me (A Graphic Novel)

Starred review from July 24, 2023
Lê (Real to Me) adroitly applies the foundational story of Siddhartha, the prince credited with founding Buddhism, and select Jataka tales to build a narrative arc attuned to contemporary tweens’ fears and worries. After Vietnamese American tween Bình is nearly suspended for fighting back against a bully at school, his parents take the family on vacation to a silent meditation getaway at Three Jewels Mountain Retreat, hoping that the atmosphere will help Bình practice inner peace. Bình is dreading their stay; not only are participants not allowed to talk, he must also leave behind his beloved Game Boy, which he often escapes into to manage his anxiety. While sitting still in meditation, his mind drifts to past events, revisiting them as 8-bit video game battles against mean classmates and his intolerant school principal. Sister Peace, a Buddhist monk and retreat instructor, takes the youngest participants aside and shares with them Jataka tales of Buddha’s past lives before he attained enlightenment. By visualizing these stories as games, Bình learns how to rely on his intellect, family, and community to navigate everyday challenges. Cinematic digital art by Chau (Jessie’s Secret Language) renders pensive, autumnal mountain landscapes alongside action-packed 8-bit-style sequences using dynamic framing and movement. A bibliography concludes. Ages 8–12.

August 1, 2023
Stories of Buddha's past lives help a young boy "find [himself] in the moment." Binh and his siblings, who are of Vietnamese descent, can't believe they're spending the weekend at a silent meditation retreat. Binh would rather play his Game Boy so he doesn't have to meditate and inevitably think about the bullies at school. It is only when Sister Peace tells stories about the Buddha and his past life that Binh is able to imagine himself entering a video game-inspired world and thus process his feelings of shame, isolation, and anger. With each Jataka tale, Binh's awareness expands, and so, too, does his ability to be present for and helpful to those around him. A welcome addition to the handful of middle-grade stories featuring Buddhist protagonists, this exploration of identity and Buddhist principles will find an audience with young readers who love Raina Telgemeier but aren't quite ready to level up to the complexity and nuance of Gene Luen Yang's epic American Born Chinese (2006). The video game elements are compelling, although they understandably diminish as the story progresses and the protagonist's inner life grows. Warm fall colors and luscious black lines anchor the story as it transitions among flashbacks, stories, and the present day. Filled with talking animals, the parables can be a little heavy-handed, but the witty banter between Binh and the narrator during fantasy sequences provides levity. (This review was updated for accuracy.) A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism. (bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 9-12)

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Starred review from July 1, 2023
Middle-schooler Binh isn't happy about his Vietnamese American family's trip to a silent Buddhist meditation retreat. His beloved Game Boy is taken away, and, worse, Binh has to write an apology for shoving the school bully to the ground after he'd directed anti-Asian racist remarks at Binh. During the retreat, through Sister Peace's skillful teachings and meditation, Binh learns to set aside his angst and anger and find the inner wisdom, strength, and community to handle life's challenges. Frequent cool colors in dynamically composed panels made for a sweet and surprisingly soothing comic. Siddhartha Gautama's path to enlightenment and the Jataka tales (fables connected to Buddha's prior forms) are made accessible by framing them through Binh's perspective, with some video-game allusions and nature imagery, talking animals, and spirits. Both readers who are unfamiliar with the religion and those who practice it will enjoy this refreshing, modern Buddhist primer, complete with a bibliography that lists other educational texts. As Sister Peace says, "The journey to becoming a Buddha is long, and not one that should be traveled alone." Michelle Lee

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2023

Gr 6-8-L�'s latest graphic novel gives readers an engaging introduction to meditation and Buddhism. B�nh and his family are going to a silent meditation retreat, which he and his sisters are not happy about. He doesn't want to give up his Game Boy and one sister wonders why she can't just go to a "regular" summer camp. B�nh has trouble settling in at the retreat and is uncomfortable sitting cross-legged, trying to meditate. Instead of clearing his mind, he reminisces about an incident from school that he hasn't been able to talk to his family about, imagining it as if it were a video game. His schoolmates had been harassing him for being Vietnamese and he fought back, but instead of being congratulated for beating the Level One bullies, he was punished. Game over. But after the first abysmal day, the children are taken to a separate room where they are taught stories about the roots and tenets of Buddhism. They learn about obstacles Buddha faced and overcame on the path to enlightenment, and B�nh is able to see himself in the stories by picturing them as video game levels. He understands the lessons more deeply and sees how they apply to his life and how he can open up to his family. VERDICT Told through colorful, expressive art and video game-influenced storytelling, this graphic novel explores the value of friendship and the importance of community. Regardless of the reader's beliefs, concepts discussed here will be meaningful.-Carla Riemer

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2023
Grades 3-7 Most kids Binh's age go to Disney World or space camp for vacation, but not his family. They are on their way to a silent meditation camp at a Buddhist retreat in the mountains. None of the visitors can speak the entire time, and no video games are allowed, just a whole lot of meditating and listening to stories about the Buddha. In this quiet, idyllic place, Binh has no choice but to reflect on the fight he had with a bully at school who made fun of him for being Vietnamese. The latest graphic novel from award-winning author L� uses humor and a middle-school boy's imagination to connect the Buddha's life lessons with his present-day challenges. Chau's illustrations are rich with cultural details of the Buddhist oasis and the video game fantasy world that Binh imagines to help him understand the principles he learns at the retreat and, ultimately, conquer each of his real-life trials. Perfect for fans of Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared (2018) or Lily LaMotte's Measuring Up (2020).

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2023
Middle-schooler Binh isn't happy about his Vietnamese American family's trip to a silent Buddhist meditation retreat. His beloved Game Boy is taken away, and, worse, Binh has to write an apology for shoving the school bully to the ground after he'd directed anti-Asian racist remarks at Binh. During the retreat, through Sister Peace's skillful teachings and meditation, Binh learns to set aside his angst and anger and find the inner wisdom, strength, and community to handle life's challenges. Frequent cool colors in dynamically composed panels made for a sweet and surprisingly soothing comic. Siddhartha Gautama's path to enlightenment and the Jataka tales (fables connected to Buddha's prior forms) are made accessible by framing them through Binh's perspective, with some video-game allusions and nature imagery, talking animals, and spirits. Both reader+s who are unfamiliar with the religion and those who practice it will enjoy this refreshing, modern Buddhist primer, complete with a bibliography that lists other educational texts. As Sister Peace says, "The journey to becoming a B uddha is long, and not one that should be traveled alone."

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)