Children's literature

We are pleased to introduce to our readers the short story "First Rain of the Season" (excerpt from the "Mỡ's Diary" series) by young writer Hoàng Hương Giang. The story is truly a delightful experience for Bống and Mỡ the cat right on their balcony. In life, there are no shortage of simple and meaningful stories like this; we just need to slow down, observe, and recount them with gentle affection, and the beauty of life will naturally spread.

This issue of the Children's Page also introduces the short story "Mom's Overtime Meal." Every time Dương Phương Thảo appears, the reader's childhood world is filled with rediscovered memories. This short but deeply moving story by Dương Phương Thảo once again affirms the beauty of motherly love and the beauty in the spiritual lives of working people, a beauty that even young girls, despite their tender age, possess the sensitivity and sensitivity to recognize.

The Children's Literature page also introduces three young writers from Hoang Ngan Secondary School with lovely poems about mothers, teachers, and school. These are Loc Thi Thu Phuong with two poems, "Mother's Tea Season" and "Schoolyard"; Nguyen Thi Chuc with two poems, "Brushing Teeth" and "A Child's Mid-Autumn Festival"; and Truong Anh Thu with two poems, "Mother Is Everything" and "Mother Is Sick".

( Selected and introduced by writer Tong Ngoc Han )

First rains of the season

(Excerpt from Mỡ's Diary)

Short stories by Hoang Huong Giang

Bong's family has a very fat cat named Mo. Mo is a calico cat with silky fur, sleeps all day, and has a strange hobby: sniffing herbs. Not to eat the herbs, but... to smell them. Every morning, Mo goes out onto the balcony, lies there panting next to the tiny pot of mint and perilla leaves that Bong's mother grows.

One day, something strange happened. Bong was doing her homework when she heard a rustling sound on the balcony, along with Mo's voice. Bong ran out and saw that her mother's vegetable pot had been dug up, with soil scattered everywhere. Oh my God! Who ruined my mother's vegetable pot?

Illustration: Dao Tuan

Just then, Fatty crept over. He looked at Bong, and suddenly… opened his mouth and said clearly: "It wasn't me. It was the sparrows who came together to eat the new soil."

Bong's eyes widened. "Mo... You... you can talk?" Mo nodded, listlessly as usual. "Because I've lived with humans for so long. But I only speak when absolutely necessary. This time, I felt so sad that I had to speak." "Sad? Because of the pot of vegetables?" "Yes! I love the smell of herbs. Every morning, smelling a little of it makes my heart feel lighter. That little pot makes me feel peaceful. But now the sparrows have destroyed it, and I'm so sad."

After hearing this, Bong found it amusing and felt sorry for the girl. That evening, she took a new pot and planted basil, perilla, and a few small mint plants from the old one. She also made a mini sign: "Mo's Garden – NO DAMAGE."

Every morning, Bong and Mo go to the garden together. The two of them quietly check on each potted plant. Bong waters the plants, while Mo tiptoes around the base of the tomato plants, occasionally meowing as if offering advice.

"The birds pecked at some of the leaves, but it's okay. We'll start over," Bong said, picking up the withered leaves. "Tomorrow we'll go for a walk and find some new plants to replace them." Mo didn't answer, only nuzzled her head against Bong's ankle, as if to say, "Yes, let's start over."

And so, every morning, the garden would be filled with the sound of quiet chatter. A human voice and a cat's voice. Bong would tell stories about school, about the teacher making the class read a very long poem, about Nam secretly putting a candy in Ha's bag. Whether Mo understood or not, she would meow in approval. Strangely enough, Bong seemed to understand what Mo was saying. Truly, best friends are different.

One afternoon, Bong's mother came home from the market, carrying a small potted plant. It was a young tomato plant, its green leaves looking as if it had just opened its eyes to the world. Bong exclaimed, "Oh, what a beautiful little plant! Mo, we have a new friend!"

Fatty lifted its head, its tail wagging gently. It said nothing, only approached, carefully sniffing the young plant, as if greeting it. Then it lay down beside the pot, curled up, its eyes half-closed, peacefully as if guarding the sleep of something about to grow in the small garden…

"Mom, let's plant some more! Mỡ will love it!" Bống exclaimed, discovering something wonderful. In her arms was a tiny tomato plant, still covered in dew, being carried up to the small garden. Mỡ ran ahead, arranging a suitable spot to lie down, waiting for Bống to follow.

In the corner of the balcony, the three-colored fluffy cat named Mỡ, lying lazily like a rice cracker in the dew, gently turned its head and let out a soft "meow" upon seeing the seedling. Then Mỡ got up and went around to see if it could help. It used both hands to gently scoop some soil from the new pot to plant the seedling. The two of them busied themselves for a while and finally finished. They breathed a sigh of relief and then laughed together as they looked back at the tomato plant, gently swaying in the soft breeze.

Since Bong replanted the vegetables in the pot, every day has become a joyful seasonal song, filled with sunshine, leaves, and… cats.

In the morning, Mỡ went out onto the balcony before the sun rose. She chose a spot near the mint bush, stretched out to the edge of the pot, took a deep breath, and then exhaled slowly, as if she had just drunk a sip of the cool, refreshing scent.

At midday, Mỡ curled up under the shade of a perilla tree. The leaves rustled gently like a paper fan being fanned. Mỡ's sleep was peaceful, like a dream with the scent of sunshine and a few leaves softly touching her ear.

In the afternoon, Mỡ moved to a spot near the tomato plant. It sat perfectly still, guarding a treasure. Every time Bống whispered, "It's taller today than yesterday!", Mỡ's ears would twitch slightly.

At those times, Bong wouldn't play on her phone or turn on the TV. She would just sit next to the little cat, resting her chin on her hand and gazing at the small vegetable garden as if reading a storybook without words, only leaves, fragrant scents, and the gentle breathing of a four-legged friend who knew how to listen.

Mỡ's life was uneventful. Until one afternoon, when the sky turned gray. The wind began to rustle through the tomato vines, gently swaying the young leaves. Mỡ was yawning, preparing to bury her head in the base of the lemon balm plant for a nap when... plop, a cool drop of water fell on her head. Plop... plop... a few more drops. Then suddenly... a rushing... a rushing, the whole sky seemed to collapse.

Mỡ jumped up, leaped from the vegetable pot, and ran inside the house, her fur soaking wet like a blackboard eraser. Bống laughed loudly. "Mỡ, that's the first rain of the season! It's been so long since it rained. I love it!"

But Mỡ wasn't happy at all. She shivered under the table, licking her fur endlessly, but it wouldn't dry. The rain poured outside, making the leaves tremble. Bống took a towel and dried Mỡ's fur so she wouldn't catch a cold, while Mỡ just felt cold and worried. "My vegetables, my tomatoes, I don't know if they're alright. They're probably just like me, I'm so scared!"

After the rain, the sky cleared, casting a golden glow on everything. Bong excitedly carried Mo out to the balcony, whispering, "Don't worry, go see. There's something really interesting here." Mo cautiously peeked her head out from Bong's chest. It turned out that their vegetable garden was still intact. The pots hadn't fallen, the plants weren't broken. The leaves were glistening with water, fresh and cool as if they'd just been to a spa. Most surprisingly, the tomato plant, after the rain, seemed taller, its stem thicker, its leaves a darker green. Mo took a deep breath, amazed. "Wow, it smells so good! It smells so pure and refreshing." Bong smiled. "See? Rain isn't just for getting things wet. It loosens the soil, makes the leaves greener, and helps the plants grow faster."

The little girl sat down and whispered, "There are things that only appear after a rain. Like new leaves. Like fragrance. Like flowers. You see, they only grow after a rain. Trees need water. So do people. Sometimes we need unpleasant things to grow."

That night, Mỡ lay on the windowsill, gazing out at the sky, remembering Bống's rambling words. She remembered the soaking wet, the biting cold, but also the sparkling sunlight after the rain, the raindrops clinging to the leaves, and the way the tomato plant stretched and grew. Perhaps the rain wasn't as bad as she thought. Mỡ mumbled, though she didn't fully understand, before drifting off to sleep.

From that day on, Mỡ began to observe the sky. When the clouds gathered, Mỡ no longer hurried to hide. Mỡ sat by the window, silently waiting, although still a little afraid of the water, but when the first raindrop fell, it only recoiled slightly for a moment. Then it calmly stepped out onto the balcony, to the same spot as the day before, to see how its plant was doing.

Strangely enough, the more it rained, the greener the plants became. The greener they were, the more fragrant the vegetables smelled. Mỡ loved inhaling the scent of wet earth, smelling the mint leaves soaking wet like freshly cooked herbs in a soup. Once, Bống asked, "Mỡ, aren't you afraid of the rain anymore?" She shook her head. "No. The rain wets things, but it also helps the plants live. I have to learn to tolerate getting wet a little, just to appreciate that fragrance." Bống was surprised. "So, Mỡ has learned her lesson?"

Mỡ wagged its little tail. A brand new thought had quietly begun to sprout in its mind. Rain doesn't wither trees. Rain makes them stronger. Leaves don't tear, but become more resilient. Trunks don't break, but become more robust. Roots don't wash away, but anchor themselves deeper into the earth. It turns out that not everything wet and cold is scary. Some rains are for trees to grow. And some unpleasant things are for us to become stronger and gentler. It let out a refreshing sigh, then yawned a long yawn, as if Mỡ had just understood something very important without needing to be said. Now Mỡ understood everything.

***

"Moo! The tomato plants are blooming!" Bong exclaimed happily as soon as she opened the door. Moo jumped up and rushed out. It was true. Like a little gift after days of waiting. Moo marveled, "There it is! Amidst the green branches, a tiny yellow flower, round like a button, has just bloomed. Beside it are a few more small buds, as if preparing to reach for the sun."

"I swear I saw the tree shaking. It must be the wind. Or maybe it's laughing." Mỡ flinched, shaking her head as if to say it wasn't really true, that it was just a slip of the tongue. Bống watched intently, her eyes sparkling, giggling as she listened to Mỡ, seemingly not quite convinced. We've been waiting a long time for this moment.

Bong approached the tomato plant carefully, gently touching her nose to the tiny flower. The scent was very subtle. Gentle like a thank you. Thank you to the rain, for watering Mo's garden. Thank you for teaching her to wait. She also learned that some good things come in wet and cold forms.

Notes from Mỡ's Diary – After the first rain of the season:

"The first rains of the season wet me, but they also made the trees grow a little taller. Some things that seem unpleasant turn out to be the gentlest way nature helps us grow."

Mom's overtime meal

Short stories by Duong Phuong Thao

Thuy is small and thin compared to her peers. Her father passed away early, leaving only her and her mother to support each other. At nine years old, Thuy had to become independent at home while her mother worked at a factory. On nights when her mother worked the night shift, Thuy was home alone. Initially, she was very scared, but she eventually got used to it.

Previously, the house where the mother and daughter lived was old and dilapidated. Thuy was small, so her mother only dared to do odd jobs near home, earning very little. Recently, with all the savings her mother had accumulated, along with some government assistance, she managed to build a small house to protect them from the rain and sun. But she still needed more money and had to borrow more. Now that they had a house, her mother felt at ease leaving Thuy at home while she went to work at a company more than ten kilometers away. Although her income was stable, Thuy's mother still saved every penny to pay off the debt. Thuy understood her mother and never asked for gifts, sweets, or new clothes.

Illustration: Dao Tuan

During summer vacation, while her mother was at work, Thuy would go to the garden to weed, tend to the lush green vegetable patch, sweep the small yard, and tidy up the house. Thuy wanted her mother to come home, even if tired, with a smile on her face. Her mother often came home quite late because she worked overtime. Some days, Thuy would go outside the gate and wait almost ten times before seeing her mother return. Other children waited for their mothers to come home so they could have some treats. But Thuy longed for her mother's return so she could feel at ease and less lonely. During the school year, she had friends and teachers at school. But during summer vacation, it was just Thuy and her small house waiting for her mother.

Every day after work, her mother would bring Thuy cakes and milk, her extra snacks from her overtime shift. She never actually ate them. Whenever she received them, she would save them and bring them home for her daughter. Those small, delicious cartons of milk were so tempting to Thuy. But she only ate them when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, she neatly stored them in a box. Whenever she was away from home, Thuy would take them out, count them, and arrange them neatly to ease her longing for her mother. Her mother worked so hard and worried about so many things that she looked increasingly thin. Thuy worried most about her mother getting sick and not knowing how to care for her. One day, if her mother was too sick to work, Thuy would give her these cartons of milk to drink, hoping she would get better soon.

As usual, after sweeping the yard, Thuy plugged in the rice cooker and went to the gate to see if her mother had come home yet. The wind started to pick up, then it rained heavily, thundered, and the power went out. Thuy had never been so scared. She huddled in the dark room, hoping her mother would return soon. The rain continued incessantly. Looking out the window, she only saw flashes of lightning across the sky. She wondered if her mother had returned by now. Thuy remained silent, her heart burning with anxiety.

Outside the gate, suddenly there was a loud barking of dogs and the flickering light of flashlights. People were calling out to Thuy. Thuy put on her hat and ran out. Several neighbors were helping her mother into the house. Her mother's arms and legs were scratched and bleeding. Thuy quickly grabbed a towel to wipe her mother's face. It turned out that her mother had fallen off her motorbike near home and fainted by the roadside. Luckily, some passersby found her and brought her home.

Her mother lay on the bed, her eyes slightly open. Thuy suddenly burst into tears. She gave her mother a carton of milk from her overtime shift. Her mother gradually regained consciousness.

But the first thing the mother did after waking up was to hold her daughter's hand and urge her to go to the car to put away her overtime meal so she would have something to eat for breakfast the next morning.

Nguyen Thi Chuc

(Class 7B, Hoang Ngan Secondary School)

Brush one's teeth

I wake up early.

Go brush your teeth

Take a little cream

On the toothbrush

Lower jaw

Then the upper jaw

Rinse your mouth quickly.

My mother praised me:

Your teeth are too clean.

Children's Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival night was so much fun!

The child got to go on a lantern parade.

Hold the fish in your hand.

The familiar road sparkles.

The child quickly took a few steps.

Go straight into the middle of the village.

My grandmother's family is preparing a feast.

Please join us for a meal.

This Mid-Autumn Festival is so much fun!

There are friends to play with.

My grandmother is there too.

The baby is jumping around and laughing happily.

Truong Anh Thu

(Class 7A, Hoang Ngan Secondary School)

Mom is everything.

My mother does so much work.

And always with a smile

Staying up late and waking up early

Busy and worried.

Every dawn

Mom called me on time.

Remind them to be neat and thoughtful.

To prepare for school

I feel sorry for my mother's hard work.

You should always promise yourself that

You must be well-behaved and study hard.

To make my mother happy.

My mother is sick.

I woke up today.

Wait a very, very long time

I can't find my mother anywhere.

I only saw it when I entered the room.

Mom is lying there.

There was no one nearby.

Dad went to buy medicine.

She cooked chicken porridge.

So that's how it is.

The house was eerily silent.

That's when Mom is sick.

Loc Thi Thu Phuong

(Class 8B, Hoang Ngan Secondary School)

Mother's tea season

The tea buds are a vibrant green.

A mother's care

Picked by my mother's hands.

Quickly, swiftly

Tea hills on the mountainside

The road is very long.

My beloved mother

Wake up from a dream early

The tea bags were heavy.

Mother carried it on her back.

Carry the sun too.

The shadow tilts on the road.

Then Mom made tea.

The smoke is stinging my eyes.

So much hardship

Make a pot of green tea!

Schoolyard

That autumn

Gentle sunlight on the schoolyard

Innocent child

Stepping in with a sense of unease.

Three years have passed.

As fleeting as a breeze

We grew up

The resentment still lingers.

The schoolyard now

The color of sunshine and clouds

Sow seeds of hope

Heartbroken with anticipation

A new ferry ride

Preparing to go offshore...

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-nghe-thai-nguyen/202507/van-hoc-thieu-nhi-a0154ff/