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Summary
Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories contains fifteen Vietnamese fairy tales, folk tales and other traditional tales told in Vietnam. These short stories, retold by Tran Thi Minh Phuoc, are ones passed down through the generations that she shared with her own children. Artists Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong provided the many stunning watercolor illustrations. This is a good book to share with children, teens and adults.
Contents
The Introduction to book provides both a context for the stories and Tran Thi Minh Phuoc’s hopes for the book. While the stories vary in content, she explains, “All of them paint a picture of a world that values the five great virtues: Nhan (compassion), Le (Rituals), Nghia (Righteousness), Tri (Wisdom), and Tin (Trust).”
Some of the stories are humorous, some involve a quest, and some provide an explanation for something, such as the tales “Why the Sea Is Salty” and “Why Ducks Sleep on One Leg.” You’ll recognize many familiar elements in “The Story of Tam and Cam,” a Vietnamese version of the Cinderella story. “The Celestial King Phu Dong and the Iron Horse” provides the story behind Vietnam’s annual festival of Saint Giong. Throughout the book, both the words and the pictures paint an intriguing picture that will engage young readers’ interest.
Illustrations
The 96 pages of Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories contain a total of 80 illustrations by Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong.
Because the book is a good size, 9” x 9,” the artwork is large enough to easily share with a group of students as well as just your own children. The watercolor artwork features techniques and scenes that reflect Vietnamese culture.
Children who are not from Vietnam will be intrigued by the way the artists depict water and foods, clothing and scenery that is unfamiliar to them while children from families that come from Vietnam will enjoy seeing their heritage reflected in both the artwork and the stories.
Tran Thi Minh Phuoc and Illustrators Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong
Like many other Vietnamese, Tran Thi Minh Phuoc had to leave her country. After 10 months in Malaysia in a refugee camp, she came to America. Seeking an education and a safe environment, she settled in Minnesota. There she became both a librarian and a storyteller.
In her introduction to Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories, Tran Thi Minh Phuoc writes, “Today, with so many Vietnamese-born forced to live so far from their native land, I use Vietnamese legends and folktales to help Vietnamese children learn about the land of their ancestors, its people, culture, and values....The fact that children of many backgrounds listen to and love these stories says much about the kinship we all share.”
Artists Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong both work in the art department at the Nguoi Viet Daily News. Although quite young then, by the 1960s both were already well known in South Vietnam for their artwork. Their paintings have been exhibited in several countries and they have also illustrated a number of books.
(Sources: Tuttle Publishing, Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories, Nguoi Viet 2, 2/26/15)
My Recommendation
In her introduction, Tran Thi Minh Phuoc makes the point that sharing stories can foster communication between generations and people of different cultures. Stories such as these stress important values in a way that is easily understood and enjoyed by young people. I particularly recommend Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories for ages 7 to 14, but know many older teens and adults will also enjoy the book. (Tuttle Publishing, 2015. ISBN: 9780804844291)
For more tales from Asia, see Favorite Children's Stories From Asia.
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- Vietnam Facts and History
- Vietnam Profile
- The Vietnam War: From its Origins to the Fall of Saigon
- Vietnamese Cooking and Culture
- Food from Vietnam: Articles and Recipes
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