'A city full of wonders' for children to explore?

"The City of Wonders" is a new poetry collection by poet Ho Huy Son, helping children visualize the aesthetic impressions of a southern megacity.

"The City of Wonders" is like a rhyming film about Ho Chi Minh City. Reading "The City of Wonders," children feel as if they've just taken a tour around the metropolis, experiencing its vibrancy and warmth. Poet Ho Huy Son wrote "The City of Wonders" with the love of someone who has been connected to Ho Chi Minh City for nearly two decades.

Poet Ho Huy Son. Photo: Provided by the author.

Having previously published poetry collections for young readers such as " Fragrant Lamps" (2022), " Summer at the Sea" (2024), " Heart of the Island" (2025), etc., this time, poet Ho Huy Son wants children to recognize Ho Chi Minh City in a very familiar and whimsical way. Turning each page, they will see familiar images of the city named after President Ho Chi Minh, such as Turtle Lake, Ben Thanh Market, the Botanical Garden, Tan Son Nhat Airport, Thi Nghe Canal, Nguyen Hue Flower Street, and more.

People love the southern city not only for its beautiful scenery or the bustling atmosphere of a city that never sleeps. The warmth, generosity, and enthusiasm of the people of Saigon make every traveler feel welcome. From the fragrant sticky rice cakes (bánh chưng) and the neatly ironed clothes sent to flood victims, to the friendly inquiries and directions given to distant visitors… all of these things make people love Ho Chi Minh City even more. Stories of the kind hearts of the people here, sent to flood victims, have been subtly and naturally incorporated into poetry by the author: “This neighborhood cooks cakes / Sticky rice cakes (bánh tét, bánh chưng) / Hoping the elderly and children / Don’t have to worry about going hungry / And that neighborhood over there / Gathers shoes, clothes / Life jackets neatly folded / Carrying the weight of human kindness.”

The poems also contain many lessons about Vietnamese culture and customs, subtly and wittily conveyed by author Ho Huy Son. A typical example is the custom of arranging a five-fruit platter with the wish for good fortune: "May there be enough to spend," using five familiar fruits of the South. The five-fruit platter of the South, and the cultural differences between the two regions, are vividly depicted through the verses: "In the North, they call it na/ How simple it sounds/ In the South, they don't call it that/ It's mang custard apple, my friend!"

Contributing to the appeal of the poetry collection "The City of Many Wonders" are the colorful, vibrant, and charming illustrations by young artist Lac An, who currently lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City.

Sharing her reasons for accepting the invitation to illustrate the poetry collection "The City of Many Wonders," artist Lac An expressed: “I received the invitation to illustrate Ho Huy Son's poetry collection on a day at the end of 2025. It was both surprising and joyful, because I had been planning to work with him for a long time, but only now had the opportunity to collaborate on a poetry collection. Luckily, I live in Saigon and love Saigon very much, so the process of illustrating the collection was very smooth and enjoyable. Each time I illustrated a poem, it was like a journey to the beloved places of Saigon. Ho Huy Son's innocent verses were like the joyful exclamations of a child, and I let that child lead me from one page to another, finally completing the illustrations in a 'lightning-fast' time, within just one month.”

The poetry collection "The City of Many Wonders". Photo: Publisher.

Speaking about the value of the poetry collection "City of Many Wonders" in the flow of children's literature, poet Le Thieu Nhon (member of the Poetry Council of the Vietnam Writers Association ) assessed: "To write poetry for children, an author needs two things most: a loving heart for children and the innocent gaze of their own eyes. Ho Huy Son possesses both of these, and is currently in a period of creative vigor. Therefore, Ho Huy Son's children's poetry does not hesitate to expand on all topics, from nature and history to customs and landmarks. Reading his poems, young readers are transported into a diverse and colorful space of vivid objects and memorable phenomena. Sometimes, even just a brown chò flower petal floating on the street can be used to tell a story full of emotion."

Compared to many other children's poets, Ho Huy Son has a distinct advantage: he started writing during his school years and has continued this habit consistently to this day. Thanks to this, he has both solidified his personal aesthetic style and grasped the reader's reception trends, proving highly effective in his journey to win over the public.

The language and rhyme in Ho Huy Son's children's poetry spark the imagination of young children. In particular, when exploring the educational value of poetry, he doesn't offer dry moral lessons but provides children with gentle and compassionate ways of behaving.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/thanh-pho-bao-dieu-la-cho-thieu-nhi-kham-pha-d814110.html