Encouragement: Books entered for the the Viet Nam Publishers Association's Best Book and Best Cover awards. — Photo vnexpress.net

HA NOI (VNS)— The children's book Let Me Tell You Truong Sa's Story by military writer Nguyen Xuan Thuy was among several works to win a Golden Prize at the Viet Nam Publishers Association's Best Book Awards.

The writer based the book, which vividly depicts the people and nature of Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands, on his stay there.

"I think the book will help young readers clearly picture life in the islands, and consequently develop a love for the nation's sacred land," Thuy said at the awards ceremony held here on Sunday.

"Hopefully, the book will also inspire them to explore remote areas of the country."

The other Golden Prize winners include the National Political Publishing House's History of Southern War Resistance, the Social Science Publishing House's Vietnamese - English Dictionary, the Medical Publishing House's Coronary Artery Intervention in Clinical Practice and the Education Publishing House's Biology Book Glossary.

The eighth Viet Nam Book Awards drew about 270 books from the country's 35 publishing houses to compete for the golden prize in the two categories of best book and best cover.

The Best Cover Awards went to the Kim Dong Publishing House's Those Whose Names Are Young Forever and Animals – Childhood Friends, the Tre Publishing House's Trinh Cong Son – Love Letter to Friend, the Viet Nam Education Publishing House's Vietnamese version of Biology and the HCM City Culture, Literature and Arts Publishing House's HCM City's Sculpture in the 1975-2010 Period.

The cover of the Complete Works of President Ho Chi Minh by the National Political Publishing House, designed by artist Phung Minh Trang, was awarded a Special Prize.

Other books received silver, bronze and encouragement prizes. — VNS