1. Belonging to the 7X generation, growing up in Pleiku during the “dusty and rainy” times, once fascinated by marbles, kite flying, sheep jumping, hopscotch…, photographer Nguyen Linh Vinh Quoc was easily moved by the familiar images of children in the highlands. To preserve the naturalness of the children, he just silently observed, looked for angles, waited for the right moment before taking the photo.
From field trips to villages, wandering the remote mountains of Gia Lai , he brought back many satisfactory works on the subject of children. His recent works make viewers feel like they are "brought back" to their childhood: Marbles rolling under the excited eyes of children, behind them are stilt houses and haystacks; children playing in the dirt, catching fish, jumping sheep... There are photos of the whole family flying kites in the wind, or children playing soccer while adults are thatching the roof of the communal house... All of them vaguely convey the message: Childhood grows up in connection with family, community, nature and identity.
“Unfortunately, simple games are gradually disappearing. Life is so modern now, urban children no longer know about these games…”, Vinh Quoc confided.
2. With the same regret, artist Nguyen Van Chung turned to urban children, whose childhood is invaded by the virtual world . His series of works Night Owl (oil pen on canvas) recently introduced to the audience is a reminder of children who "sleep during the day and work at night", hiding with their phones.
He pondered: “Children today spend too much time on phones and smart devices because they are attracted to the virtual world. The situation of “hugging the phone and living alone” is not only a habit but also a serious problem, negatively affecting many aspects. Therefore, through the work Night Owl, I hope that the future generation will see their own changes, self-adjust and balance their lifestyle.”
Another of his works, Missing…! (mixed media), evokes a sense of emptiness: A small dog is lost among toys and chalk-drawn squares, while the surrounding walls are filled with game characters. This contrast is a warning: Children are forgetting traditional games, losing experiences associated with imagination and real communication.
However, artist Nguyen Van Chung still shares the belief that, with love, patience and responsibility, we can completely help children escape from their "addiction" to technology, moving towards a balanced, healthy and happy life.
3. Poet Truong Cong Tuong, a writer from the midland region of Hoai An, has quietly devoted his attention to children's poetry over the past 5 years. He often chooses images, everyday stories or fairy tales to put into his works, gently stimulating the imagination of readers. As in a recent composition, he wrote: "I release the paper boat/ Let the dream drift away/ Raindrops like nostalgia/ Carry the image of my homeland" (Oh Rain).
Poet Truong Cong Tuong hopes that these stories and images will help children explore the colorful and musical world around them. That world will penetrate their souls, helping to nurture and orient their aesthetics, enhancing their ability to perceive, think and feel. “In a life that is changing rapidly, especially in the digital age, I think these things are more necessary than ever. I am cherishing a separate collection of poems and hope that my small poems will touch the hearts of young readers,” he confided.
The face that has left its mark on children's literature nationwide is writer Moc An (aka Dr. Nguyen Thi Nguyet Trinh, lecturer at Quy Nhon University). She has published dozens of books and won many major awards, including the Cricket Aspiration Award (2023) and the National Book Award (2024). In early July 2025, she introduced to readers the novel
The Black Thief in the Kingdom of Sunflowers (Literature Publishing House, 2025) takes readers on a journey to explore a fantasy world while raising profound questions about freedom, memory, friendship, and love.
Writer Moc An confided: “My childhood was filled with country games, walks along the river, stories my grandmother told under the oil lamp, straw paper books with fairy tales, writing is my way of finding the child inside me.”
4. Gia Lai also has musicians who are quiet but persistent in composing about children. Musician and sculptor Le Trong Nghia once published a music collection called Every Day, One Good Thing (2020) consisting of 50 songs composed from poems and nursery rhymes. The book won the B prize (no A prize) of the Literature and Arts Award of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations in 2021.
He shared: “When reading any poem, if emotions come, the melody will automatically arise. Usually, I will write it down right away, afraid that if I wait too long, I will lose the first vibration. I write for my daughter and for innocent children. I believe that the simple and warm lyrics will help nurture their souls.”
Contributing to the flow of children's music, musician Cao Ky Nam, currently a lecturer at Quy Nhon University, has written nearly a dozen songs and posted them on YouTube to spread the message. His latest work - Khai Tam, giving all his love was written in 2024 as a gift for students, especially those at Khai Tam Center, which nurtures autistic children. He confided: "I want to compose many songs to bring joy and laughter to the children. I hope these compositions will contribute to nurturing educational and aesthetic values for the children."
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/cham-vao-the-gioi-tre-tho-post563784.html
Comment (0)