Vietnam will host its first-ever Children’s Picture Book Festival with the goal of bringing acclaimed Vietnamese and international picture books to a wider audience.
The Vietnam Children’s Picture Book Festival 2026 will take place from May 28 to 31 at the Ho Chi Minh City General Sciences Library.
Under the theme “Picture books supporting children in difficult circumstances,” the event marks the debut of a dedicated cultural and educational space focused entirely on picture books in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Children’s Picture Book Festival 2026 will be held for the first time.
According to organizers, picture books are not merely tools to help children learn language but also a distinctive form of artistic education where images and words coexist to connect with children’s inner worlds.
The festival aims not only to promote reading culture and nurture knowledge and emotional development among younger generations, but also to pursue an international vision by introducing culturally rich Vietnamese picture books abroad while bringing international titles to domestic readers.
Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong, head of the organizing committee, said Vietnam’s picture book market has shown many positive signs since around 2018, with a growing number of authors, illustrators and publishers investing seriously in the genre.
However, she noted that what remains lacking is a community platform connecting professionals in the field and a strong enough foundation to introduce Vietnamese picture books to the international market.
Several notable picture books will be displayed at an exhibition held as part of the festival.
“While many countries have developed curated catalogs introducing representative works at international book fairs, Vietnam’s promotion of domestic picture books remains relatively modest,” Quynh Huong said.
She added that this was one of the main reasons organizers decided to launch the festival.
The 2026 Children’s Picture Book Festival will feature a diverse series of activities offering a comprehensive overview of the current state of picture books.
One of the highlights will be the exhibition “100 Vietnamese Picture Books to Love and Remember,” which looks back on the 20-year development journey of Vietnam’s domestic picture book industry from 2006 to 2026 while honoring works that have accompanied generations of Vietnamese children.
The event will also host around 10 to 12 panel discussions, workshops and thematic activities for children, parents, teachers, illustrators, translators, authors and copyright professionals.
Organizers emphasized that picture books are not exclusively for young children but represent a combination of literature and visual art that resonates strongly with modern readers.
Vietnamnet.vn
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