Phuoc Thi Minh Tran is the first Vietnamese librarian in Minnesota. A respected storyteller, a 2016 , 2019 , and 2022 Minnesota State Fair Blue Ribbon author, and a published and award winning author, she has shared her experiences and knowledge of Vietnamese culture at various cultural events, storytelling programs, conferences, libraries, universities, colleges, and schools throughout the state and beyond. Her book Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories was the winner of a 2015-2016 Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award, the Creative Child Magazine 2015 Book of the Year Award, and the 2015 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards Gold Medal. Her story “The Ocean Where the Dreams Go” was included in the anthology Sky Blue Water: Great Stories for Young Readers and her beautiful illustrated book, My First Book of Vietnamese Words introduces Vietnamese language and culture to young children through everyday words.
Phuoc Thi Minh Tran was recognized for her work bridging cultures and introducing the culture of Vietnam to the mainstream community.
https://phuocthiminhtran.wordpress.com/
For more information about the books, please see the promotional video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_ueakQzbVg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i9zAokBgws
Phuoc Thi Minh Tran-Audio Name Pronunciation
https://www.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?aid=29428
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REVIEWS FOR "Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories"
"Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories" is a beautifully illustrated collection of fifteen children's stories from Vietnamese traditions. These traditional folktales help to preserve and pass on the morals, faith and ideals of previous generations to future custodians of life. "Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories" personifies and projects the role of the traditional storyteller, enriching the imaginations and lives of children ages 5 and up, and also transcending cultural gaps or differences.
Each story teaches a revered quality, or teaches a wise moral, using entertainment and humor as well as mystery and intrigue to embroider details. Why the Sea Is Salty teaches that greed is all-consuming, while The Legend of the Mosquito also teaches the futility of loving someone who only values greed. Mr. Cuoi Under the Banyan Tree and The Jade Rabbit are both stories built around the features and aspects of the moon, and perhaps beneficent influences for children in the world, personified by features of the moon. Every story is carefully retold, and illustrated in graceful colored paintings in a Vietnamese influenced tradition. "Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories" is a rainbow sampling of a rich culture's traditions for children, appealing to children of imagination everywhere."
-Midwest Book Review
"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."
-Kirkus Reviews
"Phuoc Tran's stories remind us of the depth and beauty of Vietnamese culture. The folktales help heal us all from the tragic history of the Vietnam War and bring the deep enduring cultural traditions back into the light to be shared by all."
-David Zander, Cultural Anthropologist, Co-Founder of Asian Storytellers Alliance
"This well researched and lovingly written book is destined to be a children's classic."
-Wendy Woodfill, Senior Librarian at Hennepin County Library, MN; Chair of the 2014 ALSC Notable Children's Books Committee
Reviews for My First Book of Vietnamese Words: An ABC Book of Rhyming of Language and Culture
Readers gain a useful introduction to the Vietnamese language, alphabet, and culture...supplemental cultural details, included in brief asides, add valuable context to a book with few competitors on bookstore shelves.
Publishers' Weekly
