Author of Bringing in Tết
This week I am chatting to fellow BookFest Gold medal winner Kimly Hoang-Nakata, about her children’s picture book, Bringing in the Tết.
Helen: Welcome Kimly. Congratulations on your gold medal. I am very excited to learn more about your book. Tell us a little about it.
Kimly: My current book is an award-winning bilingual children’s book written in English and Vietnamese. The book describes a cultural experience through a narration with beautiful illustrations that bring joy to our young readers while helping them understand the traditional meanings of Tết, the festive Vietnamese Lunar New Year. The book received two awards within two months of release in 2024! It won First Place Award at the BookFest Awards for children’s picture books and it was featured on the Nasdaq billboard at Times Square, New York City. The other award is the “International Impact Book Awards” for children’s education.
Helen: It was so exciting to see our books up in Times Square. One of those special moments. What were your thoughts behind the cover design?
Kimly: The cover of this book uniquely captures the essence of the story and highlights the festive symbols of the Tết holiday with the happy characters from two generations.
Helen: It is a happy cover and looks great up in Times Square. Is there a special meaning behind the title?
Kimly: It’s my intention to call this book “Bringing in Tết” because I hope it brings in the festive joy and feeling to every reader who reads the book.
Helen: What made you write this particular book?
Kimly: I was born in Central Vietnam and lived there for 9 years prior to immigrating to the U.S. with my family. Despite the economic challenges throughout my childhood, Tết is a time when everyone in the family paused their work to come together to celebrate. When I was a little girl, I remember getting really excited because it was the only time in the year that I got to wear new clothes and new shoes! Through this experience, I learned to appreciate the hard work and the value of family bonding more than anything. After moving to the U.S, my parents continue to keep the tradition of celebrating Tết every year. Now I want to share this cultural experience with children through a children’s picture book. When I was a newcomer in the U.S., I didn’t have culturally relevant books at school to support my learning. Now as an educator, I teach kids from all walks of life and it’s important to have multicultural books to educate them about different cultures. I also hope to inspire others to embrace their own cultures. I believe that sharing cultural experiences can foster compassion, appreciation, empathy, and joy that can enrich our lives.
Helen: That is such a lovely sentiment. I hope your book helps others experience your joy of Tết. When did you first realise that you wanted to write a children’s book?
Kimly: Writing allows me to unwind and reflect on my day so it became an important part in my daily routine since I was a teenager, but I never thought I could publish a book until I took the courage to do it. While in quarantine mode during the pandemic, I thought of my story ideas and that was how my first children’s picture book called “Mama Get Well Soon” was published. It was based on a true personal experience depicting a family life that shows support to one another during a challenging time. Writing brings a sense of clarity and comfort to me. My first set of ten children’s picture books were published because I wanted to inspire my students to write. Having their teacher as a published author really got them to lift up their pencils and started writing. Seeing my students enjoy writing and doing their best work brought me a lot of joy!
Helen: Sharing the joy of writing is so fulfilling. I am glad your students are inspired by your writing success. How do you come up with the ideas for your books?
Kimly: My work and life involve around my children and my students at school, so my ideas and inspirations came from my daily interactions with them. I enjoy capturing life’s moments through writing.
Helen: Being an educator, when do you find the time to fit in your writing?
Kimly: I try to fit writing into my everyday life as much as I can, but I find the most productive time for me to write is when the night calms down, I enjoy the quiet atmosphere to relax, reflect, and write.
Helen: What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?
Kimly: Besides the recognitions and awards, I got to know more wonderful people beyond my social circle. It’s the joy that increased in volume for the opportunity to share my stories with others. Thank you for the support.
Helen: It’s been lovely to meet you. Kimly. Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Last question! What advice would you give to aspiriing authors?
Kimly: For new writers out there, I encourage you to make writing part of your daily routine and write about everything and anything that you are passionate about. Just let your thoughts flow out without worrying about the grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. because all that can be edited once you finish your drafts.
About the Author
Kimly Hoang-Nakata
Kimly Hoang-Nakata is passionate about educating children and inspiring them to
love learning. Kimly is the founder of Achieve Education, an exceptional
coaching service specializing in holistic learning success for K-12 students.
Together with her husband (who is an award-winning pediatrician), Achieve
Education empowers growth and confidence by providing personalized learning to
help students reach their full potential. For a free consultation and a 45-minute
lesson, please e-mail support@achieve.education or visit website
https://www.achieve.education. Kimly’s work earned her the recognitions on NBC
7 News, SBTN (Saigon Broadcasting Network), and Global Thought Leaders
Network air on ABC15.
Follow Kimly:
Purchase Kimly’s book, Bringing in Tết:
Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback
Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
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