The Magic Fish

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Pages 1-117

Reading Check

1. Who takes care of Alera in the fairytale?

2. Why does Tiền think his jacket is tacky?

3. What name does Alera give to Prince Maxwell?

4. On whom does Tiền have a crush?

5. From what did Vinh have his and Hiền’s rings made?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What do the three different color panels in the graphic novel mean?

2. Why does Hiền feel a growing gap between her and her son?

3. Why are Tiền and Hiền able to see Hiền’s mother when they hadn’t been able to before?

4. Why did Tiền ask the librarian for help looking for a word in Vietnamese?

5. Why does Hiền want Tiền to go to the dance at school?

Paired Resource

“About the Author”

• This is an information page from author Trung Le Nguyen’s website about his work, conveyed through visual and written elements.
• How do you think that the author views fairytales? What written elements tell you this? Visual ones?

“Our Story”

• This resource from The Matthew Shepherd Foundation provides background as to who Matthew Shepard is and what happened to him and connects to the theme of Trusting in Friends and Family.