HCM City’s annual book fair for children is a place where children and teenagers can seek and enjoy their favourite books as summer is coming. — VNA/VNS Photo by Thu Hoài

The fair, with the theme of “Vui Hè Cùng Sách” (Happy Summer Reading), is organised by the Department of Information and Communications and its partners every summer to create a playground for children and teenagers to seek and enjoy their favourite books.

It also promotes reading culture and habits among young people and elevates their reading tastes and knowledge.

The fair will feature 24 leading publishers and book distributors, including Kim Đồng Publishing House, Phương Nam Book Company and Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House.

They will showcase more than 20,000 titles of children’s books, including printed books, e-books and audiobooks, in different fields of literature, history, geography, science, and self-development skills.

This year’s event will highlight a full series of bilingual picture books titled Lịch Sử Việt Nam Bằng Tranh (The History of Việt Nam in Pictures) published by the Trẻ Publishing House to mark the 30 years since the first book of the series was released.

The series consists of 56 books describing important events of Việt Nam’s history from the Hùng Kings dynasty (7th – 2nd century BCE) to the civil war between the Trịnh and Nguyễn families (17th – 18th century).

It also tells the stories of the life and career of Vietnamese heroes such as the Trưng Sisters and Trần Hưng Đạo.

The series was initiated in 1990 to introduce the country’s history to children.

It was compiled by late historian Trần Bạch Đằng as chief editor of the project, members of the HCM City’s Institute of Social Sciences, and painters from the universities of Fine Arts and Architecture.

The series has become one of the publisher’s best-selling publications for 30 years.

In addition, the fair will offer 60 activities such as book introductions, discussions with writers and the city’s book ambassador, music performances and film screenings.

A discussion about developing children’s interest in reading will be held on June 6 to provide knowledge and skills on how books improve self-development skills.

The department will also launch the second HCM City Children’s Book Awards at the fair on May 31 to honour authors and encourage them to write more quality works for children.

The fair will be set up at Nguyễn Văn Bình and Hai Bà Trưng Streets in District 1.— VNS