The Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House has released the Vietnamese version of National Geographic Kids. The set consists of five books, answering children’s questions about people, the world, and living skills. Photo courtesy of the publishing house

HCM CITY -- Vietnamese publishing houses are promoting new programmes and books this summer to encourage children to read.

The Kim Đồng Publishing House is launching the programme “Đọc Xuyên Mùa Hè 2021” (Summer Reading in 2021), providing dozens of new book titles for children by Vietnamese and international authors.

Cá voi Eren đến Hòn Mun (Eren - the Whale Travels to Hòn Mun Island) is a new novel by author and journalist Lê Đức Dương about the adventure of Eren the Whale in the beautiful sea of Nha Trang.

The publisher has also introduced Tôi và Chúng Ta (Me and Us) and Hồn Trương Ba Da Hàng Thịt (Trương Ba’s Soul in the Butcher’s Body), two famous plays written by Vietnamese poet and playwright Lưu Quang Vũ. Play extracts appear in the textbooks.

Peter Pan, a picture book about a "boy who would not grow up" by American author Arianna Candell and illustrator Daniel Howard, is presented in both Vietnamese and English.

Many books featuring Vietnamese culture, customs, history and arts have been released as well.

Along with new books, the publishers are offering hundreds of favourite titles with affordable prices starting at VNĐ16,000.

A representative of Kim Đồng said: "The publisher wants to join with society and parents to bring a safe and meaningful summer to children."

The programme is available at website www.nxbkimdong.com.vn and the publisher’s store on online shopping platform Shopee until June 30.

The Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House has released  a Vietnamese version of National Geographic Kids, a children's magazine published by the National Geographic Society.

The set consists of five books, answering children’s questions about people, the world, and living skills. They include Ultimate Bodypedia, What Would Happen? Serious Answers to Silly Questions, Ultimate Explore Guide, Don’t Read This Book Before Bed, and Children’s Choice-nominated How To Survive Anything.

Nguyễn Kim Quyên, a mother of a 12-year-old boy, said: “The books provide children knowledge about people, nature and the world, as well as amazing adventures.”

They are available at bookstores nationwide and on online shopping platforms.

Expat book for Vietnamese children

Apart from works by Vietnamese authors, the Kim Đồng Publishing House has released a picture book for Vietnamese children by two foreign authors living and working in Việt Nam.  

Chiếc Dép Thất Lạc - The Lost Sandal is a bilingual book by Belgian author Geralda De Vos and Swedish illustrator Sofia Holt.

The work tells a story of a girl named Linh who loses one of her favourite pair of sandals, and her adventure in seeking the lost shoe.

De Vos came to Việt Nam in 2017, and has participated in environmental protection activities such as plastic waste reduction and recycling activities.

She has called on people to pick up and return people's lost items. She began picking up lost sandals on the street, which became her inspiration for the book The Lost Sandal.

Illustrator Holt came to HCM City in 2014. She is now working as a fashion and furniture designer, and an illustrator, creating art works about a happier and more sustainable world. The book can be bought at the publisher’s website and on online shopping platforms. — VNS