Abstract

This article paid attention to three types of children’s characters in Vietnamese children's literature in North Vietnam from 1945 to 1975, including children’s characters as young soldiers in the frontlines, young citizens in daily life, and role models. The goal of this body of literature was illustrated as educating young generations on patriotism, the revolutionary spirit, and civic consciousness. Our research suggests that politics in children’s literature is universal and that the power discourse of adults is an inevitable factor predominating in children’s literature. Besides, juxtaposing Vietnamese children’s literature with Southeast Asian literature helps us see that the political orientation and moral concepts in children’s literature have created a stagnation in the current pace of Vietnamese children’s literature. This paper, therefore, contributes to identifying Vietnamese children’s literature in the overall picture of Southeast Asian children's literature in the post-colonial context.