Author: Phuong Vu

Phuong Vu is one of the authors who contributed to the project's first books, such as "My Hanoi ," "We Are Friends," and "We Are Friends."

- Hello author Phuong Vu, could you briefly introduce the "Magical Letter S" book project and your role in it?

- “The Magical Letter S” is a project I deeply cherish. With the desire to promote the creation of children's picture books by Vietnamese authors and illustrators, Kim Dong Publishing House collaborated with The Initiative of Children's Book Creative Content (ICBC) to build this book collection. The project aims to create picture books that reflect Vietnamese identity, cover diverse topics, and are told through the voices, emotions, and experiences of Vietnamese people, for Vietnamese children.

Of the first four publications, I was fortunate enough to be involved in three: the duo "We Are Friends" and "My Hanoi." Each book is a world of its own, but they all share a spirit of respect for children, appreciation for their emotions, and belief in the power of small, simple stories.

- What are the special features of the two songs "Chúng mình là bạn" and "We are friends," ma'am?

- This book set, consisting of "We Are Friends" (Vietnamese) and "We Are Friends" (English), was created by the team of authors Thanh Tam, Hoai Anh, and myself, with illustrations by artist Cam Anh Ng and translation by Ngo Ha Thu.

This book tells the story of a journey exploring the warm world of friendship through words arranged alphabetically. We chose a format similar to a "dictionary of emotions." Each letter opens up a memory, a tiny slice of friendship. There are beautiful words that are rarely used today, such as "sharing joys and sorrows," for example, and we want to reintroduce them to young readers in a gentle way.

All the illustrations are hand-drawn. We wanted to convey a vibrant energy, so artist Cam Anh Ng experimented with various painting styles and layered watercolors. Some paintings had to be repainted multiple times. It was a long and challenging process, but also very rewarding.

- "My Hanoi" has a different feel to it. What inspired you to write this book?

- I was born and raised in Hanoi, so my affection for this city is very natural. "My Hanoi" is a bilingual Vietnamese-English book in which I wrote the text, which consists of short poems for children, the illustrations are by artist Thao Vo, and the translation is by Ngo Ha Thu.

The book begins in a small room in an old apartment building, following two young friends on their journey of friendship. They walk through the old quarter, observe street vendors, breathe in the scent of flowers along the roadside, and savor the taste of bun thang (a type of noodle soup)... From this, "My Hanoi" is formed, full of memories, very familiar, and rich in emotion.

- You previously shared that you've been working on this book for a long time, right?

- This book not only records the childhood memories of two young children in Hanoi, but also embodies the heartfelt desire to bring a meaningful work about Hanoi to children and their families. To ensure authenticity and cultural depth, I consulted with Hanoi scholars to skillfully incorporate the most distinctive features of the capital city. From historical landmarks, food, and snacks, to even the subtle scents that permeate every street... Everything is blended so that when each child opens the book, they can experience a vibrant Hanoi with all five senses.

I also wondered, do you need a household registration or land ownership certificate to love a city? This book is my answer. What binds people to a place is memories, the places they've been and the things they've done together. The book not only contains poems and paintings of familiar landmarks and foods of Hanoi, but also includes a song – "Rejoicing at Dawn" by composer Luu Huu Phuoc – so that everyone in the family can read, watch, listen, and sing together, building affection and love for this city.

- Why did you choose to pursue a career in writing children's books?

- I am the mother of two children. I started writing books as a way to record the sparkling memories of my children's journey of growing up and of myself - an adult who is still growing every day, with much curiosity, excitement, and hope. Writing for children, for me, is a very sincere journey.

- In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge when creating picture books for children?

- The hardest thing for me is not pretending to be a child. I don't feel comfortable "acting silly" to be like a child. Children are very intelligent and sensitive. So, I have to write in a way that makes them feel comfortable and genuine. It's a difficult challenge, but also very interesting, making me want to experiment every day.

- How would you assess the current state of development of Vietnamese picture books?

- In recent years, picture books by Vietnamese authors have seen a significant improvement. Many books have been reprinted, their copyrights sold abroad, and appeared at international book fairs. This motivates those of us involved in bookmaking to continue writing and accompanying Vietnamese children through each page. I believe that when we create books with sincerity and respect for children, those books will find their own path.

- We sincerely thank author Phuong Vu!

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/tac-gia-phuong-vu-viet-cho-thieu-nhi-phai-gan-gui-va-chan-thanh-729040.html