Saving H'non: Chang and the Elephants, a sequel to the critically acclaimed children’s book by Trang Nguyễn, is scheduled to hit shelves on June 11 following the success of Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear.
Trang Nguyễn, an award-winning Vietnamese conservationist and the founder of local conservation NGO WildAct, currently holds numerous awards for her contribution to wildlife protection and animal welfare. Both books feature art by Jeet Zdung, a Vietnamese illustrator whose artworks have been featured in multiple international publications.
Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear (Chang Hoang Dã: Gấu) follows the protagonist Chang, a young conservationist, on her journey to rescue and return a sun bear to the jungle. In 2021, the same year of its release, the graphic novel received the highest-tier prize of The Vietnam National Book Award, and praise from Vietnamese and foreign critics for its impact on raising awareness about wildlife conservation among local children.
An excerpt from Saving H'non. Images via Facebook user Lê Mỹ Ái.
The sequel, Saving H'non: Chang and the Elephants (Chang Hoang Dã: Voi), is inspired by the author’s own experience. The story continues with another journey by Chang, this time with a mahout named Wat, to help H’Non reintegrate into the wild. H’Non is a 60-year-old elephant who used to live in the jungle of Vietnam's Central Highlands but was kidnapped at a young age and underwent harsh training to transport heavy construction materials. As she grew old and weak, the abuse continued as she was exploited by the tourism industry to carry visitors, to the point her limbs and back were broken.
Kim Đồng, the book’s Vietnamese publishing house, has announced an upcoming webinar on June 11 to celebrate the launch of the sequel and a new edition of the first book. Trang Nguyễn and Jeet Zdũng, the co-author of the books, will join to share their thoughts on wildlife conservation. The English version of Saving H'non, according to Macmillan, has been scheduled for release on March 16, 2023.
Readers can pre-order Chang Hoang Dã: Voi on the Kim Đồng website prior to the official launch.
