Great lessons from books

Books are companions that enrich the spiritual lives of readers. By emphasizing reading culture, each page of a book will accompany young people on their journey to conquer knowledge, and each story will contribute to the development of their character.

Stemming from these meanings, for the first time, an art book arrangement and storytelling competition was organized and took place enthusiastically within the scope of a primary school - Nguyen Thi Dinh Primary School ( Bac Lieu City).

Young in age, but with a mature mind.

“ A young girl, so tender/ Taken to the execution ground by the enemy/ Walking between two rows of soldiers/ Still calm and smiling/ Plucking a fresh flower/ She pinned it to her hair/ Her head held high, unyielding/ Even in the moment of sacrifice/ Now, beneath the banyan tree/ She lies listening to the sea sing .”

As she concluded her story of "Heroine Vo Thi Sau" with verses of poetry, while the audience below choked with emotion, Phan Ngoc Kha Nhu (class 2/1) maintained her dignified and sharp demeanor in every word, her eyes shining with the same pride she had shown since beginning the story. She told the story as if she were transmitting the fire from the very heart of this courageous girl, the indomitable spirit of the woman from Dat Do!

At the grand trial, Vo Thi Sau, then only 17 years old, boldly declared: "Loving one's country and fighting against the colonial invaders is not a crime." Even when facing death, upon reaching the execution ground, Vo Thi Sau resolutely refused to kneel, requesting not to be blindfolded, saying, "Let my eyes see my beloved country until the very last moment!"

All the precious details about the heroic martyr Vo Thi Sau were shared by a young student, inspiring the entire auditorium where the competition was taking place that day.

Having absorbed valuable lessons about indomitable spirit, patriotism, and courage when the country needed them, these elementary school children went beyond mere understanding to showcase their talents in the competition! They recounted stories from the heart, breathing life into the narratives on the pages, and most importantly, they then spread those stories – those meaningful messages – to their peers.

Many touching stories about Uncle Ho, such as "Three Backpacks," "Those Who Are Good Will Be Rewarded," "Uncle Ho's Apple," "Keeping Promises," etc.; the story of "Le Van Tam, the Living Torch"; or familiar children's stories like "The Boy Tich Chu," "Three Little Rabbits," etc., were successfully presented, with the children conveying many important lessons from each story at the end.

The competition judges noted that each contestant had achieved success for themselves! This included self-confidence, knowledge, and an understanding of the value of each page they had accessed; and most encouragingly, they had learned to choose books as their "close friends" from a very young age.

"The Lighthouse" - a work by class 3/2 that won first prize and the "Most Impressive Model" award in the artistic book stacking competition. Photo: CT

When books are given "life"

Staying true to the theme "Proud of Vietnamese History," and alongside the stories told by first and second graders, the older students breathed life into each book by creating unique and artistic book stacking models. Twenty different models showcased meticulous creativity and meaningful messages conveyed by each class.

“Before our teachers and classmates is a shining lighthouse, a symbol of the noble ideals of the Vietnamese people. Besides ensuring maritime safety, the lighthouse is also a landmark of national sovereignty in the East Sea… On top of the lighthouse is the national flag, which, through countless storms, remains brightly red, affirming that Hoang Sa and Truong Sa belong to Vietnam… The lighthouse we made from books is a reminder of the perseverance in our unwavering aspiration to constantly strive and explore new horizons. I hope that our students will always cherish their love for the sea and islands and always strive to study and train to contribute to protecting the sacred sovereignty of our nation's sea and islands…”, this was the explanation given by Nguyen Minh Chau and her group from class 3/2 when they arranged books into a model of a “Lighthouse” – one of the three first prizes and also receiving the “Most Impressive Model” award in the artistic book arrangement competition (the “Tank” model from class 4/4 also received this award).

Artistic book stacking, a form of visual propaganda, has become one of the most effective forms of book and newspaper display and exhibition in recent years. The provincial library organized an artistic book stacking competition for participating schools to commemorate Vietnam's Book and Reading Culture Day (April 21st). This school was the first to take the lead in organizing such a competition at the school level. Instead of simply sitting on shelves, artistic book stacking also serves as decoration, making school library activities more lively and attractive. Meaningful and aesthetically pleasing models create a positive impression and encourage readers to seek out books more often.

Through the skillful hands and creativity of the classes, and, of course, the inspiring presentations, the competition produced many meaningful book models such as: "The Lighthouse," "Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum," "The Tank," "Ho Chi Minh in My Heart," etc.

“Remember, children, reading is not just about acquiring knowledge, but also about exploring the world around you, building a pure soul full of love and gratitude, and providing a solid foundation for your academic and life journey. Let books guide you closer to understanding, patriotism, and great dreams. Each story and book model displayed today will help you feel more deeply about the sacrifices and contributions of previous generations and become more aware of your responsibility in preserving and promoting those sacred values,” these words from Ms. Nguyen Thi Tinh, Principal of Nguyen Thi Dinh Primary School, also reflect the school's expectations when organizing a competition in response to Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day, and as a practical way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30th), which the whole country is looking forward to.

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