Written by Bui Phuong Tam
Illustrated by Mai Ngo
English text adapted by Lisa Davis
“Dung La Tet” is a lovely poem about a little urban girl who has experienced her very first traditional Tet in her parents’ hometown. “Tet” is how Vietnamese people call Lunar New Year. It has a variety of meanings: memories, reunion, love, happiness, and forgiveness. Like Christmas in the Western, people go back home to reunite with friends and family during the Tet season. In the spirit of Tet:
Tet is here! Tet is there!
We’re all rushing everywhere.
Goodbye bikes
and cars racing.
Let’s go home. Grandma’s waiting!
Tet is here! Tet is there!
We’re all rushing everywhere.
Goodbye bikes
and cars racing.
Let’s go home. Grandma’s waiting!
***
The big idea of making the book “Dung La Tet” came to Mai and the Poet Bui Phuong Tam when they were searching for materials for a new Vietnamese children book. During the 2019 Tet Holiday, Mai and Tam spent their time photographing and capturing their family’s activities, especially the emotions of Tam’s two years old daughter, a typical city child experiencing her first traditional Tet. The character designs were based on Tam’s family. They are a classical Vietnamese family of four generations. Mai used the pictures from the 90s of the Northern Vietnamese hometown and her childhood memories of Tet for the setting of the book.
The book was published on January 13th, 2020.
- The book is 48 full color pages and in 22cm x 27cm.
- Paperback.
- Digital art.
- Language : Vietnamese and English.
- Published by Kim Dong Publishing House, Vietnam.
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WORKING PROCESS
1_CHARACTER SKETCHES
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2_STORYBOARDING
The 1st version
The 2nd version
The approved version
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THE BOOK
Tet is here! Tet is there!
We’re all rushing everywhere.
Goodbye bikes
and cars racing.
Let’s go home. Grandma’s waiting!
***
“Now off to the market - lots to get!”
Ready? Set…
This is Tet!
Back home, Grandma shows the way
to make rice cakes. No time to play!
Sticky rice and yellow beans:
wrap them up tight with the leaves.
Some for kids and friends to share.
We’ll each get a tasty square!
Put the rice cakes in the pot.
Potatoes getting nice and hot.
Grandma makes the food just right.
Grandpa tells stories all night.
The next morning, nice and clean,
I’m wearing my brand-new things.
Mommy takes me to a spot
where Daddy gets the perfect shot.
"This is Tet!"
***
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Thank you!
