Organizing book launches and interactive events creates more opportunities for students to engage with books.
From a "gap" to a new wave of creative work.
Vietnamese children's literature has often been described as a long-standing "gap." Many argue that the field of children's books was once neglected, with a scarcity of original writers, while the market was dominated by translated books. At one point, children's literature was likened to a "drought zone," with few dedicated writers for children and a market dominated by foreign-made children's books.
From this situation, efforts to "reactivate" children's literature have begun to emerge clearly. One of the highlights is the Cricket Children's Award, organized by the Sports and Culture Newspaper (Vietnam News Agency) since 2020. This award honors works "by children" and "for children," while also expanding to many art forms, contributing to creating a broader creative space for writers and artists.
Alongside this, the children's literature writing contest launched by the Vietnam Writers Association has also created new momentum. In a short time, the organizing committee received 246 entries, including 102 poems and 144 prose works, and selected 16 outstanding works to award prizes. Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, President of the Vietnam Writers Association, noted that the number of writers for children is increasing, and the age of those writing is also getting younger.
From another perspective, writer Nguyen Binh Phuong - Vice President of the Vietnam Writers Association - believes that the current state of children's literature shows "richness in content and form of expression," including genres that were once less noticed, such as fantasy or science fiction.
Beyond literary awards, Kim Dong Publishing House also plays a crucial role in fostering a creative environment. Since 2023, the Kim Dong Literary Award has attracted 612 entries from 55 provinces and cities, as well as authors from abroad. This award is seen as a new "meeting point" for writers of children's literature, spanning ages from 9 to 93.
Simultaneously, Kim Dong Publishing House also organized numerous seminars and exchanges in various localities to connect writers and young readers, while continuing to launch the next phase of the writing campaign until 2027, expanding the target audience to include teenagers and young adults.
On the publishing side, several publishers are also beginning to get more involved in this area. Recently, Tre Publishing House officially launched its Children's Literature Book Collection with many domestic works, contributing to a wider range of choices for young readers.
From these developments, a "new wave" is emerging. Alongside familiar names like Nguyen Nhat Anh, Tran Duc Tien, Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, Y Ban..., children's literature is witnessing the emergence of many new writers such as Giai Du, Phat Duong, Cao Nguyet Nguyen, Cao Viet Quynh, Cao Khai An, Pham Thu Ha, and many other rising young writers.
Children flock to the book fair by Ho Guom Lake.
There's no shortage of books, but where are the readers?
On the surface, children's literature appears to be flourishing. There are more books, more awards, and more authors than before. However, at a recent seminar titled "Children's Literature from the Perspective of Young Writers," one issue was highlighted: Children are still reading less, despite the abundance of good and beautifully designed books.
Dr. Trinh Dang Nguyen Huong (Institute of Literature) argues that the reason children read less "doesn't lie with the children themselves," but rather with adults creating a lifestyle that leaves children "no time or mental space for reading." Not only do children lack time, but they also lack the mental space to immerse themselves in books. As the pace of life becomes more hectic, and phones and social media dominate most of their free time, engaging in lengthy reading becomes an increasingly difficult choice.
Young writer Pham Thu Ha also points out another contemporary cause: the habit of consuming short content on social media is causing children to gradually lose their ability to read deeply. According to her, part of the responsibility lies with adults, as "being a lazy parent is easier than being a strict parent," when phones have become a tool replacing companionship.
From her perspective, poet Huynh Mai Lien believes that poetry has no "magical power" to pull children away from electronic devices. Short poems only contribute to evoking emotions, but what is more important is the resonance from the family – where adults sow the first seeds of poetry and reading habits in young children. She also emphasizes the lack of spaces like "Poetry Parties" for children, showing that children's literature not only lacks works but also cultural experiences for children to "live with" literature.
According to poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, if we want Vietnamese children to grow up to be kind and bear the name Vietnam, that kindness must embody the beauty of Vietnamese culture, customs, and history… To achieve this, we need many children's literary works that are deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture.
It can be said that all opinions converge on one point: The problem with children's literature today is not a lack of works, but rather that the works have not yet found their true readers. Children lack the time and psychological space to read; families have not truly become the starting point for reading habits; while the digital entertainment environment dominates a large part of their spiritual lives.
Therefore, the question of "how to make children love reading" cannot be placed solely on the shoulders of writers or publishing houses. It requires the collaboration of families, schools, and society in creating a slower pace of life, giving children more breathing space, so that books are not just an option, but return to being a natural need.
According to Nhandan.vn
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/khong-so-thieu-chi-so-khong-co-doc-gia-a487569.html
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