Learn to love from simple things

“The Neighbor Girl and the Four Candies” is the latest book by writer Nguyen Nhat Anh, released on November 28. The clear pages about childhood and friendship convey a message about the simple yet lasting value of kindness and the sweet things in life.

The return of the "old" character in a new setting

According to the Vietnam Book of Records Center, Nguyen Nhat Anh is currently the writer who writes the most for teenagers in the country. At the age of 70, he has written more than 100 books.

Over the years, he has maintained a steady rhythm of writing with beloved works such as: “Going to the stream to watch the pink trumpet flowers”, “The neighbors”, “Her bookstore”, “Nameless summer”… Nguyen Nhat Anh always knows how to renew hundreds of stories with gentle, humorous, and familiar writing, but always containing profound humanistic philosophies about life, family and people.

The book “The Neighbor Girl and the Four Candies” was written by Nguyen Nhat Anh in a new context. If before he often wrote about peaceful Central villages in works such as “Give me a ticket to childhood” or “I see yellow flowers on green grass”, this time he brought the story to an urban space.

The characters Thieu, Tuong and Man (in the work “I see yellow flowers on the green grass”) reappeared after 15 years, but those characters were not 15 years older, but only 1 year older with the context of them moving to Saigon, continuing to live their childhood in a new land.

The return of familiar characters creates the feeling of meeting an old friend after many years apart, making readers both surprised and moved. Writer Nguyen Nhat Anh has made an effort to build a seamless childhood world , where stories can naturally intersect and connect with each other.

Recreating warm and loving Saigon

“The Little Neighbor Girl and the Four Candies” vividly recreates the setting of Saigon in the 80s with Palikao Bridge, old-style apartments and neighborly affection, the golden age of newspapers… At that time, the whole country was at peace and unified, but had to face many difficulties.

However, in Nguyen Nhat Anh's writings, the children of poor workers are portrayed in a cheerful, pure and innocent tone. In a life full of hardships, the care and love for each other, regardless of how close they are, moves the readers.

The trio of characters Thieu, Tuong and Man have new friends A Lin, Tra My and friendly, cute neighbors.

In this new work, writer Nguyen Nhat Anh does not focus on dramatic stories or tense conflicts between characters, but emphasizes their humane elements and kindness.

Although the setting has changed, the storytelling still retains the familiar spirit of Nguyen Nhat Anh, with a witty voice, with clear, delicate pages telling about childhood, friendship, family love and simple kindness.

The book has a more modern feel, helping urban readers easily empathize and see images of themselves or their childhood around them in each page.

An interesting detail is that for the first time in his book, Nguyen Nhat Anh put himself in the book in a rather self-deprecating role. That was when the character in the book was an old man who often wrote satirical poems about social issues to publish in newspapers.

Right from the first pages of the work, with Thieu's question: "Tuong, do you want to be a good person?", a journey of the children begins with humorous situations when Thieu and Tuong brothers go together to do good deeds.

The innocent story with charming dialogues and actions of the children brings readers warmth and sweetness like holding a piece of candy in the mouth, gradually melting.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, the book is a gentle reminder that sometimes happiness comes from the smallest things, from a shared candy, a sympathetic look or a kind act.

The simple kindness of childhood is very precious, but more importantly, when they grow up, they still keep that kindness intact to behave in society.

If everyone can maintain that innocence and kindness, it can ease all the difficulties and sadness in life. No matter how difficult it is, this world will sometimes be as sweet as the “four candies” that writer Nguyen Nhat Anh gave to those who love to read.

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