Grandma's Bánh of love
A heartwarming bilingual Vietnamese–English picture book about culture, family traditions, and the love passed down through generations.
Written by Kimly Hoang-Nakata, M.Ed. · Illustrated by HaMeo Pham
- Bilingual Tiếng Việt – English
- 36 pages
- Ages 3–8
- 8.5″ picture book
Hardcover · Paperback · Kindle — price shown at Amazon checkout.
A story wrapped in love
Câu chuyện gói bằng yêu thương
Guided by Bà Ngoại — Grandma — young readers discover the meaning behind bánh: traditional rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves that symbolize family, connection, and care.
With playful storytelling and rich cultural details, this beautifully illustrated book is more than a children's story — it's a keepsake of heritage, love, and tradition, and a gentle reminder of the importance of preserving family stories and cultural values.
A story of heritage, love, and togetherness — made to be shared.
Meet the family
Straight from the cover — one patient grandmother, three curious grandkids, and a garden full of banana leaves.
Bà Ngoại
GrandmaWith patient hands and a warm smile, she shows how every fold of the leaf carries a little love.
The oldest grandchild
Yellow tee & cherry hair-tiesRight at Bà's shoulder, watching every single fold — just like on the cover.
The younger granddaughter
Pink polka dots & pigtailsWide-eyed on the woven mat as rice and banana leaves become something wonderful.
The youngest grandchild
Blue tee & green shortsLeaning in as close as he can get to the woven tray of finished bánh.
Wrap a bánh with Bà
Just like in the book's garden: lay the leaf, add the rice, fold it square, tie it tight — and find the love inside.
Drag each thing onto Bà's mat
First: the lá chuối — drag the banana leaf onto the mat, or just tap it.
bánh — wrapped with love · gói bằng yêu thương 💚
- 1 · Lay the lá chuối (banana leaf)
- 2 · Scoop the gạo nếp (sticky rice)
- 3 · Add the filling
- 4 · Fold the square
- 5 · Tie the string
- 6 · Wrapped with love — gói bằng yêu thương
Inside the book, readers discover…
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Vietnamese legends & traditions
Connections to the old stories behind every square bánh.
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Cultural themes & values
Family, connection, and care across generations.
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Vocabulary & cultural context
Real Vietnamese words woven into the story.
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A rich, immersive experience
For every reader — whether it's bedtime or circle time.
The word kitchen
Flip a card to taste a little Vietnamese from the story.
Why is the bánh square?
In Vietnamese tradition, bánh chưng is a square cake of sticky rice, wrapped flat in green banana leaves and tied with string. In the old legend, its square shape honors the earth itself — a gift of gratitude, made by hand.
Inside the book, Bà Ngoại guides young readers to the legends and traditions behind every fold — and to what the wrapping really holds: family, connection, and care. Every fold holds a little love.
For families & classrooms
What makes this book truly special is its ability to connect generations.
Story time, together
An invitation to slow down, gather together, and share a story that truly comes from the heart.
Roots for little readers
Children learn about their roots, while parents are reminded of their own family traditions.
Made for the classroom
A meaningful way for teachers to introduce Vietnamese culture in diverse classrooms.
A keepsake gift
A keepsake of heritage, love, and tradition — made to be shared and treasured.
From an award-winning author
IIBA 2024 Winner
for Bringing in Tết
BookFest 2024 · 1st Place
for Bringing in Tết
Featured on SBTN
national television
IIBA 2025 Author of the Year
Finalist
All honors shown were earned by author Kimly Hoang-Nakata for her earlier books and appearances — Grandma's Bánh of Love is her newest story.
More stories from Kimly
Bring the story home
Choose your format — every copy is wrapped with the same love.
Price shown at Amazon checkout. Links open in a new tab.
- Published December 3, 2025
- 36 pages · 8.5″ × 8.5″
- Bilingual Vietnamese–English
- Ages 3–8
Questions from families & teachers
What ages is this book for?
It's a 36-page picture book written for children ages 3–8 — and made to be read aloud together, so grown-ups are very much included.
Is the book really bilingual?
Yes — the story is told in both Vietnamese and English, with vocabulary and cultural context woven in for readers of both languages.
What is bánh?
Bánh here means traditional Vietnamese rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves — like the square bánh chưng — which symbolize family, connection, and care.
Do I need to speak Vietnamese to enjoy it?
Not at all. The story reads beautifully in English, and the Vietnamese text and vocabulary are a joyful way to meet the language for the first time.
Is it useful in the classroom?
Yes — it gives teachers a meaningful way to introduce Vietnamese culture in diverse classrooms, with legends, traditions, and vocabulary built right in.
What formats are available?
Hardcover (the keepsake edition), paperback, and Kindle — all on Amazon. Prices are shown at Amazon checkout.
