Little Ears Books

🌸 Mừng Ngày Của Mẹ 🌸
✨Happy Mother's Day✨

We’re back with more linguistic puzzles!

This time, we’re moving beyond city streets to explore majestic mountain ranges, legendary hidden valleys, and historic seats of power. Some are literal translations (like "Fragrant" or "Pearl"), while others are phonetic echoes of the original names.

Challenge yourself:
1️⃣ Swipe through the slides.
2️⃣ Guess the landmark or natural wonder.
3️⃣ See if your score is higher than in Part 1!

Which of these names surprised you the most? Share your score in the comments below! 👇

Before we used modern phonetics, Vietnamese speakers used elegant Hán Việt (Sino-Vietnamese) names for the world’s most famous hubs.

Some of these names sound like poetry, while others are clever phonetic puzzles.

They offer a fascinating window into our linguistic history and how the Vietnamese language has evolved over generations.

We’ve picked 7 iconic locations, from the bright lights of cinema to global political capitals.

Swipe through the carousel to see how many you can get right!

What was your score out of 7?
Tell us which name surprised you the most in the comments! 👇

Whenever I hear Trịnh Công Sơn’s “Gia tài của mẹ,” I’m reminded of the incredible strength of the generations before us.
In just three lines, he captures a millennium of struggle, colonization, and the heartbreak of war.

It is a heavy inheritance to pass on, but it is one of our most important stories.

We share it not to foster hate, but to build empathy and prioritize our shared humanity.

Regardless of our past, our hope remains the same: Peace for the next generation.

How do you talk to your little ones about our history? Let’s share in the comments. 👇

“Quê hương” doesn’t always mean a place you’ve lived.

Sometimes, it’s a place you’ve only heard about through your parents’ stories.

A place you haven’t seen, but somehow still miss.

It’s where your family began, where traditions and memories first took shape.

For many Vietnamese families, "quê hương” can feel layered, the same place, but held through different memories and meanings.

And still, it’s something many of us carry close,
in our own ways.

For those raising kids far from Vietnam,
“quê hương” becomes something we pass down quietly, through language, food, and everyday moments.

Not distant, but something our children can slowly come to know.

In Part 1, we talked about the snacks we found in nature. But Part 2 is all about the treats that had us begging our parents for a few thousand đồng.

From the "clink-clink" of the Kẹo Kéo vendor to the giant bags of Bỏng Gạo that were bigger than us, these weren't just snacks, chúng là cả một bầu trời tuổi thơ.

Whether you were team Thạch Mút on a summer day or saved your Kẹo C like they were gold coins, these flavors are locked in our memories forever.

Before fast food arrived, Vietnamese kids found their snacks on trees, in the dirt, and inside flowers.

We didn't need a menu.
We just needed a good climbing tree or a heavy stone to crack a nut.

Whether it was the purple stained tongues from Sim Rừng or the "surgery" required to get a Hạt Bàng seed, these flavors are the real taste of our childhood.

How many of these did you try? Tell us below 👇

What was your favorite childhood game?

Before screens, our playground was the sidewalk. We only needed simple things like pebbles, string, or paper to have fun for hours!

These games are more than just play, they are part of our Vietnamese roots. Sharing them with our children is a great way to keep our culture alive.

Comment your favorite below! 👇

Stories shape who our kids believe they can be.

On Day, I’m celebrating shelves that look more like our real communities, and calling out how far the community still has to go.

Every child deserves to see their language, their family, their skin, their joy reflected back at them.
Representation isn’t a trend.
It's a responsibility.

Let’s keep pushing for books that make all our little readers feel seen, valued, and possible.

Some days, speaking Vietnamese at home feels like swimming against the current.
School is in English.
Friends are in English.
The world is in English.
And you’re tired...

You’re doing your best.
You’re wondering if it’s even working.

Here’s the truth we don’t say enough:
It is WORTH it.
Not because every word sticks right away.
Not because your child answers in Vietnamese every time.
But because language is CONNECTION that grows slowly, quietly, over years.

Your effort becomes the stories they remember.

Your voice becomes the place they return to.

Your Vietnamese becomes a home they can always step back into.

If you’ve ever wondered whether all this work matters, you’re not alone.
Just remember: you’re planting something that lasts longer than you think.

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