Dong Nguyen – Illustratör

**Winner of Creative Child Magazine 2015 Book of the Year Award****Winner of Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2015 Gold Medal**This colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book presents Vietnamese fairy tales and other folk stories—providing insight into a rich literary culture.Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories is a charming collection of fifteen tales as told by prominent storyteller Tran Thi Minh Phuoc. In it, Tran—Minnesota's first Vietnamese librarian and an active member of the Vietnamese-American community—recounts cherished folktales such as "The Story of Tam and Cam" (the Vietnamese version of Cinderella), "The Jade Rabbit," and "The Legend of the Mai Flower." They make perfect new additions for story time or bedtime reading. With beautiful illustrations by veteran artists Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong, children and adults alike will be enchanted by Tran's English retellings. Stories in which integrity, hard work and a kind heart triumph over deception, laziness, and greed—as gods, peasants, kings and fools spring to life in legends of bravery and beauty, and fables about nature.The Children's Favorite Stories series was created to share the folktales and legends most beloved by children in the East with young readers of all backgrounds in the West. Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories will keep Vietnam's folktales alive for them and the legions of young readers who enjoy multicultural children's books and stories set in faraway lands. Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Filipino Favorite Children's Stories, Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories,Balinese Children's Favorite Stories..

Children will get an inside look at Vietnam's vibrant culture, while learning through fun, hands-on games, songs, and activities! This multicultural children's book is perfect for story time at home or in a classroom, and is one children will come back to time and again.Young readers are introduced to many different aspects of Vietnamese culture, including:A brief look at the nation's history, from its mythological beginnings to its famous kings and heroesTours of picturesque Halong Bay, the teeming streets of Hanoi and Saigon, the sand dunes of Mui Ne, the Dragon Bridge in Da Nang, the imperial palace in Hue, and many more colorful places!Try your hand at making authentic Vietnamese dishes including a Banh Mi sandwich, Fresh Spring Rolls and Moon Cakes to accompany the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrationRe-live popular folktales and legends like "The Legend of the Areca Nut and the Betel Leaves" and "The Legend of Trong Com"Learn the beloved folk song "The Rice Drum" and the lively dance that accompanies itExperience the sights and sounds of the Tet New Year's celebration as well as other colorful festivals like the Feast of the Wandering Souls, the Mooncake Festival, the Kitchen God Festival, and the Hoi An Lantern FestivalLearn to speak a few words of Vietnamese, including greetings and the proper way to say goodbyeMake a beaded dragonfly; learn about Vietnamese manners and superstitions; celebrate birthdays, weddings, and important events; and taste the local fruits and delicious street food dishes!Award-winning author Phuoc Thi Minh Tran is a Vietnamese librarian and storyteller who opens windows onto a culture she knows intimately in this lavishly-illustrated book. The charming full-color illustrations and photographs bring Vietnam's history and culture vividly to life.

**Winner 2018 Moonbeam Children's Book Award Silver Medal - Multicultural Non-Fiction Picture Book ****Winner Creative Child Magazine 2018 Book of the Year Award****2017 Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention for Children's Literature**My First Book of Vietnamese Words is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces Vietnamese language and culture to young children through everyday words.This Vietnamese children's book teaches in a playful way—combining the familiar ABC rhyming structure with vivid illustrations to encourage young children's natural language learning abilities. Words kids use every day in English are joined by words unique to Vietnamese culture to give kids a glimpse of Vietnamese life and to show how, despite cultural differences, children all over the world have a lot in common. Linguistic and cultural notes are added to enhance the kids' adventure in a land that's modern yet filled with beautiful traditions. Audio files of the worlds spoken aloud are available for free online.