"Tran has selected 22 familiar Vietnamese proverbs, drawn from both his childhood and an early 20th-century collection, and paired them with generally well-known Western equivalents. The Vietnamese "Good personality supersedes beauty," for example, is matched with "Beauty is only skin deep." The proverb in the original language is boxed in at the top of each page; beneath it is a soft, pastel watercolor illustration. A larger rectangle at the bottom presents the translation in boldface type and the Western equivalent. The deceptively simple, almost childlike paintings nicely convey the lifestyles and countryside of Vietnam. An author's note in both languages describes the collection and certain characteristics of Vietnamese proverbs; appended is a short introduction to the Vietnamese language."
To Swim In Our Own Pond: A Book of Vietnamese Proverbs
When is the best time to train bamboo or dogs? East and West agree it is when they are young. When asking for a handout, should you demand chocolate cake or sweet rice? Or course, neither. These are not the only examples of how the two different cultures sometimes agree. This book contains a charming and illuminating collection of Vietnamese proverbs, all of which has Western equivalents.
Twenty-two fun and witty proverbs are assembled in Vietnamese, together with their corresponding English translations and western equivalents. From generation to generation in Vietnam, these intriguing oral traditions are learned at mothers' knees; told in the mountains; whispered in the fields; murmured on the river banks; and floated amidst the reeds. It was the author's early childhood exposure to rhymes and poetry that has given him a lifelong fascination with proverbs that reflect on both the happy and the sad moments of his life.
Each proverb is illustrated with lyrical and romantic watercolors that, in delicate tones, show the people and country of Vietnam lovingly. Every reader will find a feast of wit and beauty in these pages that convey the simple message of how much people are alike, no matter what their background or country may be.
"Tran has selected 22 familiar Vietnamese proverbs, drawn from both his childhood and an early 20th-century collection, and paired them with generally well-known Western equivalents. The Vietnamese "Good personality supersedes beauty," for example, is matched with "Beauty is only skin deep." The proverb in the original language is boxed in at the top of each page; beneath it is a soft, pastel watercolor illustration. A larger rectangle at the bottom presents the translation in boldface type and the Western equivalent. The deceptively simple, almost childlike paintings nicely convey the lifestyles and countryside of Vietnam. An author's note in both languages describes the collection and certain characteristics of Vietnamese proverbs; appended is a short introduction to the Vietnamese language."
"This book of Vietnamese proverbs gathers over twenty sayings from the Vietnam countryside, pairing the Vietnamese language with English translations and adding illustrations by Xuan-Quang Dang. The full-page watercolors are fine embellishments in this simple multicultural collection."
"The pictures offer a good portrait of Vietnamese lives, surroundings, and cultural idiosyncrasies. An excellent idea... worth looking at as a cultural tool."
"The pictures offer a good portrait of Vietnamese lives, surroundings, and cultural idiosyncrasies.
-Multicultural ReviewNgoc-Dung Tran was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the U.S. in 1991. Having survived two wars and a concentration camp, he holds degrees in linguistics and literature from both Vietnamese and American colleges. Author of six books, instructor of English for over 20 years, and a translator of numerous works of Vietnamese literature, Tran is now working on a thesis on Vietnamese folk poetry, which fits perfectly with his lifelong interest in promoting cultural exchanges.
Xuan-Quang Dang was born in Cambodia and moved to Vietnam with his parents at the age of eleven. A journalist in Seattle now, he has degrees in Fine Arts and Eastern philosophy. While in Vietnam he won a Gold Medal Award for his artwork and in the U.S. his work has been exhibited and seen at many Vietnamese community events. This is his first book for children.
Shen’s Books is a publisher of multicultural children’s literature that emphasizes cultural diversity and tolerance, with a focus on introducing children to the cultures of Asia.
Through books, we can share a world a stories, building greater understanding and tolerance within our increasingly diverse communities as well as throughout our continuously shrinking globe.

















