Stories of the Buddha bring meditation practices into focus in Enlighten Me, a thought-provoking middle-grade graphic novel by Minh Lê (Drawn Together), illustrated by Chan Chau (The Rise (and Falls) of Jackie Chan).
In the aftermath of a fight at school, Binh's parents decide to take the whole family to a weekend silent meditation camp. Binh would prefer to play video games but, as he learns about the Buddha and his imagination travels with the stories about the spiritual leader, Binh realizes meditation might be worth trying. Lê's dialogue is direct and expressive as it teaches the importance of being present in the moment. Chau's spirited illustrations are presented in dynamic panels that often overlap each other or are broken by energetic figures. Informative, imaginative, and quietly impressive, Enlighten Me inspires readers to take a deep breath. --Kyla Paterno, freelance reviewer