Kirkus Reviews

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)

ALA Booklist (Mon Nov 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

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 Lê 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).

Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 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."