Tuan Nguyen was the last member of the Nguyen family born in Vietnam. He is a professional musician like Lenni Frazier.
Television Show[]
He first appeared in the second part of "Over a Barrel" where he had a terrible argument with his father. That's because Tuan's grades have slipped lately, he skipped school and he was late for dinner and that's because he was focusing more on the band than his education. Tina even argued with him because of it. But eventually after his Dad heard Tuan's music, they straighten things out.
His last appearance was in the series finale story arc "Attack of the Slime Monster" where he and Lenni practiced doing a gig for the Hurston Middle School senior prom. The time Tuan and Lenni spent together spawned an attraction on the part of Tuan, noticed by Tina. By the story arc's end, Lenni had begun to accept Tuan's personality, with which she had clashed before, and his attraction toward her. She then happily proceeded to agree to slow dance with him in the loft. He is last seen talking to Lenni at the graduation party for her, Jamal and Alex and then playing a game with some of her friends.
Books[]
A Match of Wills[]
Gaby and Tina want to call to find out where the fortune of a late woman named Bethany Franklin is, and think her stove, which was sold to a junk dealer, might have a clue. Unfortunately, Tuan is talking on the phone, so they use up most of their quarters with pay phones. Later, with one dealer left, they manage to convince Tuan to let them call the dealer.
Digging For Clues[]
Tuan is in the side story of the Ghostwriter book Digging For Clues. Tina comes home late, but finds out that it does not matter as much as her father is angered at Tuan for wanting to live elsewhere. Later, Tina comes with her friend Gaby to discover that Tuan is packing to leave with David, who is part of his band. Her father shouts that he is not leaving, while David is uncomfortable with the situation.
After a while, Tina comes home again to find that Tuan is back. Her father had created a sign that said, "Tuan's Bachelor Pad. All-American," and is willing to let some American ways into the home. Tuan states that he likes the sign, and admits that the people he had lived with did not know how to cook any noodles besides spaghetti, the apartment was a mess, and it cost too much money. He apologizes to his father.
His mother explains to Tuan that Vietnam still important to his father. Tuan takes the marker that his younger sister Linda is holding, and crosses out the word "all" and puts "part" instead, so that the sign reads, "Tuan's Bachelor Pad. Part- American."
Attack of the Slime Monster[]
Tuan also appears in the novelization Attack of the Slime Monster. Unlike the corresponding television arc, he is only seen at Tina's party, and is just mentioned beforehand. He is also mentioned to be sixteen-years-old.