To the bookworm girl

(Baonghean) - Do you know when the book you're engrossed in reading was published? It was published more than 30 years ago. Looking at how absorbed you are in reading, you've forgotten the world around you; you don't even seem to care about the countless eyes, camera lenses, and phone cameras pointed at you…

I stood at a distance, in a secluded corner of the book fair, mesmerized by her. Her round, dark eyes gazed intently at the faded, yellowed letters, awakening in me memories of a time long past… Back then, I, and the scruffy kids in the Post Office housing complex, around her age, always harbored a burning desire to own books filled with magical fairy tales…

In those days, Thanh Vinh only had a few small bookstores. I remember vividly that every week, whenever we had a little free time, we kids would eagerly run to the bookstore near the 12/9 Cinema - Quang Trung Bookstore. There weren't many books back then, maybe only a few dozen children's books. Since we didn't have money to buy them, we kids had to use a trick: we'd take turns devouring fairy tales, then retell them to each other at night. That way, everyone got to read.

It was so exciting. Night after night, after finishing their homework, the children would spread out mats on the porch of the communal house. One by one, they would recount vividly the story they had secretly read at the bookstore that afternoon. Laughter would erupt when they heard a funny or amusing detail. There would be moments of silence, and even the soft sobs of the more sensitive children when they heard touching stories.

The most delightful times were the full moon nights. The moon, perfectly round, showered the world with golden light. The enchanting light of the Moon Goddess cast a magical, mysterious glow over our fairy tales. My friends, the children with their corn-silk hair and tanned skin, bathed in moonlight and immersed in fairy tales, suddenly transformed into radiant princes and princesses.

Perhaps it was the yearning, bound by scarcity, that captivated us so strangely—the world of mysteries contained within books?! Even in my nightly dreams, I always found myself lost in the world of books, meeting the beautiful Snow White, the gentle Cinderella, or Li, whose hands bled from weaving nettle cloaks for her brothers. Those fairy tales were like sweet milk, nourishing the souls and characters of our generation.

Looking at her, then looking back at my childhood memories, I suddenly felt a pang of emotion. How long had it been since I last touched a book? The fragrant scent of new paper, the rustling sound of pages turning… And especially, the lingering effect of good books. It was like invisible currents permeating my heart, making me see life with brighter eyes, and people with more overflowing, loving, and passionate feelings.

My dear girl, if a designer outfit or even a million-dollar car manufactured over 30 years ago is now completely outdated, but this little book, printed on brown paper with tiny letters and a faded yellow cover, published over 30 years ago, you still read it today with overflowing enthusiasm. It remains ever-new!

Tonight, in your sleep, you will meet beautiful, gentle princesses. And, surely, when you wake up tomorrow, you will find life even more lovely!

Bui Ngoc

(Nghe An Publishing House)