Cover of Chuyện Của Anh Em Nhà Mem và Kya Phượng Ca  (The Stories of Mem and Kya), a new book aimed at children by veteran poet Nguyễn Quang Thiều. — Photo courtesy of the publisher

HCM CITY — Veteran poet Nguyễn Quang Thiều’s latest book, Chuyện Của Anh Em Nhà Mem và Kya (The Stories of Mem and Kya), was released in HCM City on Wednesday.

The 60-page book features stories about a young boy named Mem and his younger sister Kya. Themes about childhood, friendship, family and traditional issues, love and peace, as well as information about Vietnamese culture and lifestyle, are included.

The book contains beautiful pictures by young artists from the Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House.      

Thiều’s simple and lively language in Chuyện Của Anh Em Nhà Mem và Kya attracts young readers.

“Through my book, I hope grandparents, parents and their children can read and be entertained together. I also hope to help little readers learn more about the world," said the 63-year-old in an interview with local media.

“Writing for children makes my soul fresh,” said Thiều, deputy chairman of the Việt Nam Writers Association.

Thiều began his career in 1992 after working for the Hà Nội-based Văn Nghệ (Arts& Literature) weekly newspaper. He first wrote poems when he was at university.

Thiều has published 10 poem collections, 23 short stories, and many translations, essays and screenplays. Many of his poems and short stories have been translated in English, Russian and French.

His poem collections include Những Người Đàn Bà Gánh Nước Sông (Women on the River) released in 1995 and Thơ Tuyển Cho Thiếu Nhi (Poems for Children) in 2004.

Thiều received many domestic and international literary awards, such as the title Best Translated Work by readers of Russian Literature newspaper in 1994 and the Changwon KC International Literature Prize by South Korea in 1998. 

He won the Best Translated Work for his poem, Bài Hát Về Cố Hương (The Song of My Native Village), a production translated by Nguyễn Kim Hiền and edited by poet Nikolai Vladimirovich Pereiaxlov.

The work was published in Russian Literature newspaper in 1992.

Thiều was the first Vietnamese author to receive Changwon KC International Literature Prize, presented to foreign poets and writers aged 50-65 who have contributed to Korean and international literature. 

His new book, Chuyện Của Anh Em Nhà Mem và Kya, is available on Fahasa.com and Tiki.vn. — VNS