Society

Meet the two "fairytale flowers" of the mountainous region of Nghe An.

Phuoc Anh • December 11, 2025 09:28

Amidst the hustle and bustle of digital life, it's truly admirable that two young authors from Tam Hop commune, Nghe An province – Truong Vo Ha Nhi and Truong Vo Ha Anh – choose to tell stories about their lives through pure and innocent words. Two sisters, two distinct writing styles, yet sharing a common thread of subtle observation, empathy, and affection for the small, dear things in life.

Phuoc Anh• December 11, 2025

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Amidst the hustle and bustle of digital life, it is truly admirable that two young authors from Tam Hop commune, Nghe An province – Truong Vo Ha Nhi (born in 2005) and Truong Vo Ha Anh (born in 2015) – choose to tell stories about their lives through pure and innocent words. The two sisters, with their distinct writing styles, share a common thread of subtle observation, empathy, and affection for the small, dear things in life.

With numerous works published in newspapers and magazines, and winning many awards in children's writing competitions, most recently first and second prizes in the "Fairy Tale Flower 2025" competition, the sisters' writing journey is not a series of spontaneous "runs," but rather days of quietly reading, writing, revising, sometimes encountering failures, and then continuing with a passion rarely seen in teenagers.

In the following conversation, two vibrant "fairy tale flowers" from the mountainous region of Nghe An share their inspiration, perseverance, early works, the joy of victory, and the aspirations they want to convey through each page.

PV: MEvery pen usually originates from a very personal moment – ​​a curiosity, an image, or a quiet emotion. Looking back on your journey, what do you remember was the first moment that made you want to pick up a pen?

Ha Nhi:For me, the first moment actually began a long time ago, not just when I achieved my first successes. From small writing assignments in class, I realized I had a passion for literature and stories. I always had ideas about the whimsical things in life around me. Those ideas were the driving force that motivated me to write my stories.

PV: Tpalace"The Planet of Sticky Rice and Beans"Won first prize in the Elementary School category at the writing competition."Fairy Tale Flower 2025”StoryVery short, simple plot, humorous writing style.but makes adults read You also need to slow down. When writing that story, was there anything in your own small life that sparked those emotions?And what message do you want to convey to the readers?

Ha Anh:The ideas that gave rise to the story and characters in "The Sticky Rice and Bean Planet" began one morning when my father drove me to school and bought me a handful of sticky rice for breakfast. I found the sticky rice and beans from my hometown very delicious, and as I ate, a thought crossed my mind: What would happen if two things that don't go well together were mixed? I thought of sticky rice and beans, two familiar ingredients in the kitchen, each with its own unique flavor. Then, a fun image appeared in my head: A rain of coconut milk falling, causing the two planets, Sticky Rice and Bean, to stick together. And from there, the story begins…

Through this story, I want to convey a message: While being alone is great, and being different is also good, sometimes, if we open our hearts to and embrace new things, we might become a better, more perfect version of ourselves!

PV: DIt is known that eI've participated in several writing competitions, and not every time did I get the results I hoped for. Were there any failures that almost made you give up? And what kept you going?jobwriting?

River Pediatric:For me, when participating in any writing competition, the main goal isn't necessarily a good result or a high prize, although I would be happy to achieve those things. I participate in a writing competition when I feel that the criteria and themes truly resonate with me, inspiring me to write and test my writing skills. For me, each time I complete and submit an essay, if I receive a positive result, it means my writing is on the right track; if not, I don't mind and know that I need to try harder.

PV: Nmany people are curious,When a young author writes, do they "play" more or "work" more?Right?

Ha Anh:I don't dare call myself an author, and I don't feel any kind of "labor" pressure when I'm writing. Ms. Ha Nhi introduced me to writing competitions, encouraged me to share ideas, and gave friendly feedback, which made me feel comfortable and very happy to write.

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“My family doesn’t have a literary tradition; my parents are farmers and freelance workers. But thanks to their self-discipline and proactive approach to learning, my two daughters, Ha Nhi and Ha Anh, have achieved some accomplishments. Every time we went to Hanoi with them to receive awards at writing competitions, we were very excited and proud. We hope they will always maintain their thirst for knowledge and passion for learning and writing.”

Ms. Vo Thi Toan - mother of Ha Nhi and Ha Anh

PV: When they walked onto the stage together to receive the award."Fairy Tale Flower, feelingAt that time, it made the two girls trust me.seriousMoreover, literature can also be a long journey, not singlepureIt's just a playground.or try it a few times?

RiverPediatric: This year's Fairy Tale Flower Award has expanded the scope of participation to authors nationwide, evaluating the quality of the entries. I know that there are still many talented writers around me. For now, my sister and I don't plan to pursue a literary career as a long-term path, but we will still try our hand at writing if we have the opportunity.

PV: 20 years old, RiverPediatricThere are so many options: studying, extracurricular activities, social media… How can I maintain a regular writing habit and keep it going?Perseverance and not getting carried away from passion? Can you tell me one?centurymindfulness during the processWriting has made me feel like I've truly matured.?

RiverPediatric: I love writing, I love words, I love creating stories. Because of this passion, I don't see writing as an obligation or an exercise that I have to force myself to maintain. For me, writing is a way to relax, reflect on myself, and further improve myself.

A recent experience that truly made me feel mature was when I tried my hand at feature writing (previously, I had only tried short stories and essays). I meticulously planned and conducted an interview with a friendly forest ranger at Pù Mát National Park, listening to the difficulties and hardships of the job of protecting the forest. My article was selected for publication in Thanh Nien Newspaper. The moment I saw my name appear at the top of the page, I felt that my writing was gradually becoming more meaningful as it began to spread positive messages to people.

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Truong Vo Ha Nhi (born 2005) is currently a student in the International Relations Department at the Academy of Journalism and Communication. Truong Vo Ha Anh (born 2015) is a 5th grade student at Tam Hop No. 2 Primary School. Besides winning the "Flower of Fairy Tales" competition in 2020, third prize in 2023 and 2024, and second prize in 2025, Ha Nhi also won third prize in the "My Teacher" writing competition organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union in 2021; second prize in the "My Tet Memories" writing competition organized by Dan Viet online newspaper in 2021; and third prize in the "To the Woman I Love" writing competition organized by Tre Publishing House in 2022… As for Ha Anh, she has won first prize twice and a consolation prize twice in her three participations in the "Flower of Fairy Tales" competition.

PV: Nif sent aexpectwanttowards future writing competitions for children,theI hope the competitions will change or add something.for the little ones to lovelike, loveDo those passionate about songwriting have more opportunities to shine, like the two sisters?

RiverPediatric: If I could make a wish for children's writing competitions, I would hope they could become a more "real playground" for children's imaginations. I wish there were more open-ended topics so that everyone could freely write about their own world, without being confined to the stereotypes set by adults.

I also hope the organizers will hold more small talks and workshops to guide, encourage, and help participants understand that writing isn't a race for grades, but an opportunity to tell the story of the heart. And if possible, I wish that every entry – whether it wins an award or not – will be listened to and appreciated, because who knows, it might contain a hidden talent that just needs a little more light to blossom.

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The "Flower of Fairy Tales" story writing contest has been held annually in Japan since 1970 and in Vietnam since 2018. The contest aims to contribute meaningful works to Vietnamese children's literature and to spread a reading culture widely. The contest is divided into three categories: Open (ages 16 and above), Junior High School (ages 11-15), and Elementary School (ages 6-10).

Short stories submitted to the competition must be no longer than 1,500 words and have content aimed at children. Winning entries will be translated into Japanese, edited, illustrated, printed, and published as a bilingual Vietnamese-Japanese anthology. The anthology will be distributed nationwide through bookstores.