Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories

March 16, 2015
Peasants, rulers, animals, and monsters dominate this rich collection of 15 fables and legends from Vietnam, which joins previous books in this series about stories from Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and other Asian nations. The stories reflect the traditions, myths, and history of Vietnam, with trees and flowers frequently serving symbolic purposes. Works such as “The Story of Tam and Cam,” an adaptation of Cinderella, will be familiar to readers, while a story about why the sea is salty (it’s due to a greedy man’s magical salt grinder at the bottom of the ocean) will be new to many. The husband-and-wife Nguyens’ modest watercolors include both spot illustrations and larger, ornamental images that fill pages and spreads, resulting in a graceful balance between text and
pictures. Ages 5–14.

February 1, 2015
While publishers in recent years have paid some attention to Asian folk tales, there has been a paucity of stories from Vietnam. This collection of 15 tales will fill the gap. This Vietnamese-American storyteller's tales are a mix of variations on familiar tales and tropes, cultural pourquoi stories and legends. Familiar folk-tale elements can be seen in many, such as "The Legend of the Mosquito," "Why Ducks Sleep on One Leg," "Why the Sea is Salty" and a "Cinderella" variant, "The Story of Tam and Cam." Others are rooted in Vietnam. "Da Trang and the Magic Pearl" offers an explanation for the scuttling of crabs on the beach; "The Legend of Banh Chung and Banh Day" reveals the origins of the traditional foods of Tet; "Why One Shouldn't Sweep the House on Tet Nguyen Dan" explains another Tet tradition. An introduction explains the significance of several key elements in Vietnamese tales. A publisher's note at the beginning describes its mission: to provide books that connect East and West. Attractive watercolor illustrations by two Vietnamese artists are scattered throughout, and the appealing cover should invite readers. A welcome addition to any collection of folk tales. (Folk tales. 6-9)

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April 1, 2015

Gr 2-4-This attractively illustrated collection features 15 traditional Vietnamese folktales. In her introduction, Phuoc describes the power of stories, explaining that Vietnamese children living in America can "learn about the land of their ancestors" from this compendium, and conveys "hope that these stories...become a vehicle for bridging gaps between cultures." American children will recognize familiar elements in tales such as "The Story of Tam and Cam," a Vietnamese Cinderella story, and "Why the Sea Is Salty," an entry reminiscent of Tomie dePaola's Strega Nona, wherein a greedy man learns a lesson. Much like European fairy tales, with which most readers will be familiar, these offerings reward men who are brave, loyal, and wise and women who are beautiful, clearly defined in one story as having "shiny black hair, smooth fair skin, and [a] graceful manner." While virtue is prized, violent punishments for evildoers are notably absent, with false friends being banished or losing their ill-gotten fortunes. Many of these stories are pourquoi tales, explaining the natural world or features of Vietnamese culture, such as "Why One Shouldn't Sweep the House on Tet Nguyen Dan." The delicate and detailed watercolor illustrations elegantly enhance the appeal of this work. VERDICT A valuable and culturally authentic addition to folktale collections.-Toby Rajput, National Louis University, Skokie, IL

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