Sherry Garland, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman,
Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam.
Harcourt, 2001

At first glance, Children of the Dragon might seem to be simply the latest addition to the ever-growing pile of multicultural folktales – yet to overlook this collection would be to miss a valuable contribution. As Sherry Garland writes in the book’s introduction, too many of us think of Vietnam merely as the battleground of a war that ceased more than twenty-five years ago. Children of the Dragon highlights the variety and richness of a four-thousand-year-old culture – one in which the word Tet brings to mind a time of festival and renewal as opposed to a military action.

The tales in Children of the Dragon have been passed down orally for generations. Garland, who has worked with Vietnamese immigrants for several years and has spent time in Vietnam, offers these stories to a new audience in lively prose that asks to be read aloud. A range of folktales are included, from charming pourquoi legends (how the tiger got its stripes, why there is a man in the moon) to tales that gently illustrate the perils of greed or the rewards of kindness. Some stories, such as "The Legend of the Monsoon Rains," are specific to Vietnam, while others, like "The Bowmen and the Sisters," are strikingly similar to fairy tales in other parts of the world. Some are written in the spirit of the darker Grimm tales – happy endings are not guaranteed. In the haunting "The Boatman’s Flute," true love exists but is not acknowledged until it is too late. Notes at the end of each chapter provide a frame of reference for readers unfamiliar with Vietnamese culture.

While Garland’s characters inhabit archetypal folktales, they also retain their own identities, a quality enhanced by Trina Schart Hyman’s acrylic and ink illustrations. The characters’ expressive eyes and distinct personalities are characteristic of Hyman’s art. Most of the illustrations are modest in size; they enhance the stories without overwhelming them. A few of the larger ones are striking: a half-page illustration for "Chu Cuoi–The Man in the Moon," in which a tall young Chu Cuoi converses with an old man framed by a wreath of pink and yellow blossoms, firewood, and red and gold good-luck banners, is notable for both its decorative detail and its evocative feeling.

The identity of a people finds voice in the stories they tell. Garland and Hyman’s work fills a significant void, offering American readers a view of Vietnamese culture from within its unique storytelling tradition.

Kathryne Beebe
Winter 2001-2002