TẾT TRADITIONS: Mở Ra Là Thấy Tết (Open the Book, Enjoy Tết), a book by Lion Books, features Tết in the north and the south. Photo courtesy of Lion Books

HCM CITY — Việt Nam’s leading book publishers and distributors for children have released new books introducing the traditions of Tết (Lunar New Year) as well as literary works about the special holiday to celebrate the Year of the Cat.

Lion Books, a book distributor in Hà Nội, has presented the picture poem book Mở Ra Là Thấy Tết (Open the Book, Enjoy Tết) written by author Chiều Xuân, featuring familiar images of the holiday in Việt Nam.

The book has two versions. One is about Tết in the north with đào (peach blossom) flowers and bánh chưng (square glutinous rice cakes), and another is the holiday in the south with mai (ochna) flowers and bánh tét (cylindrical glutinous rice cakes).

According to Lion Books, the book is printed in Vietnamese and English so that overseas Vietnamese children can learn about Vietnamese Tết. It is not only for children but also for all people who love the country’s traditional holiday.

The book, published by the Hà Nội Publishing House, includes a set of stickers about traditional dishes for Tết, a set of six lucky money envelopes, a map of Việt Nam, and a stop-motion video based on the book.

CAT YEAR: Kim Đồng Publishing House releases its annual publication for Tết called Nhâm Nhi Tết – Quý Mão 2023 (Book for the Year of the Cat 2023). Photo courtesy of Kim Đồng

As usual, the Kim Đồng Publishing House presents its annual special publication for Tết.

Nhâm Nhi Tết – Quý Mão 2023 (Book for the Year of the Cat 2023) consists of 25 interesting stories, poems, songs, paintings, and illustrations about Tết and the cat, compiled by famous writers for children from different generations.

The 170-page book includes funny and warm short stories, such as Bếp Lửa (Stove), Những Chuyến Ghe Ngược Xuôi Đón Tết (Tết Comes to Busy River) and Kí Ức Tháng Giêng (Memories of the Spring).

The work also consists of the short comic story Chuyện Trên Trời Rơi Xuống (Unexpected Things Happen) by Hoàng Giang which is promised to bring a lot of laughs for little readers during the holiday.

Musician Nguyễn Hồng Minh tells tales about famous cats in music.

In particular, the publication features paintings on cats by late artist Nguyễn Sáng, one of four leading painters in Vietnamese modern fine arts, to mark his 100th birthday, as well as a story about Sáng’s life and career by author Chu Hồng Tiến.

The book also has illustrations by favourite young painters Tạ Huy Long, Vũ Đình Tuấn, and Quỳnh Chu, among others.

Nguyễn Thu Hà, a mother of two daughters in Đồng Nai Province, said, “these books about Tết for children are meaningful gifts in the holiday that help children learn more about traditional Tết.”

The books are available nationwide at bookstores and on e-commerce websites. — VNS.