Through raising my own young children and working in the education sector in Australia, I have noticed that children in early childhood and primary school really enjoy listening to stories and exploring books with creative and imaginative content.

Inspired by this, I started writing children’s stories and published my first two books: Bridges of Wonder (Những cây cầu kỳ diệu) and The Cemetery of Dreams (Nghĩa trang của những giấc mơ).

Both books are English–Vietnamese bilingual books, giving children of different ages opportunities to read, learn and share the stories with each other:

• Children who have recently moved to Australia with their parents and already have a strong foundation in Vietnamese may find the English part of the books a fun and manageable challenge.
• On the other hand, children who were born and raised in Australia and mostly use English at school may find that, although the stories are written for younger children, the Vietnamese part gives them a natural opportunity to continue learning and becoming familiar with their heritage language at an appropriate level.

Because of this, I hope my books can become a meeting point between two languages, where every child can find something familiar, along with a little challenge that makes them excited to explore.

In this introduction, I would also like to share a small tip that I believe is very simple but can make a big difference: Don’t just let children hold the book and read by themselves. Talk to them and tell them the story.

Reading to children does not have to mean reading every line exactly from beginning to end. Parents can use their own natural voice to bring the story to life: sometimes speaking gently, sometimes raising or lowering their voice, slowing down during an exciting part, or putting emphasis on details that make children wonder what will happen next.

Interact with your child during exciting parts of the story so they can feel curious, excited, laugh, or even get a little surprised. The book then becomes a lively conversation between the person telling the story and the person listening.

Sometimes, parents do not need to read every single word in the book. Tell the story in your own natural way. Pause and invite your child to think:

• “What do you think will happen next?”
• “What would you do if you were in this situation?”
• “Which character do you like the most?”

Or simply watch your child’s reaction and continue the story in a way that encourages their curiosity. When children feel a sense of closeness and safety with the person telling the story, they naturally begin to ask questions, share their thoughts and wonder about things.

A Familiar Voice Is Also Part of Language

I would like to share something from my own experience with my two children: they listened to my reading voice and picked up the words very quickly. I believe young children become familiar with the sounds and voices of their parents and other close family members from a very early age. So when a parent reads a book using that familiar voice, the child is not only taking in the story, but also remembering it through a sound that feels very close and safe.

This can be especially meaningful for children growing up in bilingual or multilingual environments. When they hear a book read in the familiar voice of someone who cares for them, they can experience the language in a sound environment that feels natural and familiar.

On the other hand, if the same content is read in a completely unfamiliar voice, such as through an audiobook or by someone the child does not know, the child’s listening experience may be different.

That is why I have always believed that a parent’s storytelling voice is not just an extra part of reading a book. It plays an important role in the language experience a child receives.

Parents do not need to worry too much about whether they are reading “correctly” or in a perfect way. Read in the voice your child hears every day! That familiarity can become a natural bridge that helps children connect with language. When parents tell stories in their own voice, children take in not only the language and the story, but also the warm and emotional space created through those shared moments together.

I hope my books will not only be books that children pick up and read, but can also become a lovely reason for parents to sit down beside their children and explore the world together, one page at a time.

For Vietnamese families living in Australia, in particular, I hope these bilingual books can be a gentle way for children to be exposed to English while also maintaining and developing their Vietnamese.

And even just 15–30 minutes each evening can be enough to help children enjoy reading, love languages, and build beautiful childhood memories with their families.

If you are also exploring Bridges of Wonder and The Cemetery of Dreams with your children, I would love for you to share your family’s sweet reading moments and experiences with me!