In prose category, the first prize went to ‘Con ma da sau vuon’ (Skin ghost in the garden) by Nguyen Ngoc Hoai Nam and the second prize was given to ‘Trang Vam Cop’ (Vam Cop moon) by Kao Son. ‘Chuot nhat 7A3’ (7A3 Mouse) by Ngo Thi Y Nhi won the third prize while four others were awarded fourth prizes.

Among cartoon entries, the contest jury decided to give two second prizes to ‘Chiec rang sau cua Anak’ (Anak’s decaying tooth) by Duy Tu and ‘Chiec den cua Tho’ (Rabbit’s lanterns) by Khoa Le, one third prize to ‘Trung thu cua Ti’ (Ti’s mid-autumn festival) by Kim Duan and three fourth prizes to three other notable works.

The awarded works are selected from over 300 entries sent to the contest, which was launched last year with the themes of ‘overcoming scares’ in prose category for readers from 10 to 14 years old and ‘homeland’s festivals’ in cartoon category for 3-6 year-old kids.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Danish Ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen valued outcomes of the project, which would inspire children’s love in reading books and offer interesting presents to children during this Christmas season.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and President of the Central Council of Young Pioneers Nguyen Thi Ha spoke highly of effective co-operation between the Danish Authors’ Society and the Kim Dong Publishing House in encouraging Vietnam’s literature and promoting writing for children in particular.

Also at the ceremony, the project launched a 2013-2015 campaign on writing stories for children under the theme ‘Go cua trai tim’ (Knocking on the heart’s door) and drawing cartoons for children under the theme ‘Ngay toi gap…’ (The day I meet…). The organising board will receive entries from now till April 30, 2015 and give VND25 million (US$1,175) to first prize winners, higher than the current prize of VND20 million, to encourage Vietnamese writers and artists around the world to have outstanding works for children.