One of children's books wins the award
Although the number of children's books is not many as other kinds of books, the children's book segment at the National Book Awards 2021 has a genre with high quality, which is more appreciated than in previous years. This year, the book Wild Chang – Bear of the Kim Dong Publishing House won an award of category A. The book Teaching children finance of the Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House, the Story of the Mem and Kya brothers of the Young Publishing House, the book Species of Plastic - When Plastic Rises and Surfs with Ti Ge of the Kim Dong Publishing House won four awards of category B. The Urban Brown Brown - Green Country Green of the Crabit Kidbooks and Hanoi Publishing House and The Book of Power - It is what, who has it, and why of the Kim Dong Publishing House both won the category C.
Speaking at the awarding ceremony, Chairman of the Vietnam Publisher Association cum Chairman of the National Book Award Council Hoang Vinh Bao said; “Children book won the award which demonstrated that the National Book Award Council has taken heeds of children's books contributing to the education of children who are the future of the country; therefore, investing in them is the only way to put the country on the road to a brighter future”
For a long time, domestic books have been thought to lose their position in the local market and children's books are no exception. However, the reality is that authors of children's books have written unique works. Translated children's storybooks are often carefully selected by publishing houses; therefore, readers naturally feel that the translated books are more prominent than the domestic ones.
Lately, many publishers and companies have begun to pay attention to children's books, often with successful publications such as Nha Nam, Dong A, Dinh Ti, Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House. Particularly, the Kim Dong Publishing House publishes more than 2,000 books every year, of which nearly 1,000 are new books and more than 1,000 are reprints and copies, including domestic and foreign copyrighted books.
A representative of the publisher said more than 250 children's literature books are published each year including new and re-published books, of which there are about 70 new books by domestic authors. Moreover, new authors of children’s books are seen annually.
Being a mother of two young children, Tran Huyen Trang in Long Thanh My Ward of Thu Duc City said that domestic children's books with different genres have had beautiful form helping parents easily choose while selecting books for their children. “However, young people love to explore, but most of the children’s books of exploration and adventure are translated books. Should publishers need to think more about discovery science books written and drawn by Vietnamese people, said Ms. Trang.
From November 16 to 28, Ho Chi Minh City Book Street will display and introduce 24 works that won the fourth National Book Award in 2021. Another activity in the program in November is the exhibition of more than 700 books listed to support primary school teaching and learning by the Vietnam Publishing Association - Southern Representative Office and the city Book Street.
To celebrate Vietnam Teachers' Day falling on November 20, the bookstores at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street offer discounts from 15 percent-70 percent on the retail price plus small gifts. The book street also organizes many activities such as an exchange program - introducing a music book of 100 children's songs and musician Nguyen Van Chung’s 20 years of composition and Japan Book Festival - Ehon Day with the seminar on how to nurture the love for science in children with renowned Japanese picture books, or Ehon books.
