It is with great sadness that we share with you that Canadian children's book author Nhung N. Tran-Davies has passed away after a brave battle with cancer.
At the age of five, Nhung, along with her mother and five siblings, arrived in Canada in 1979 as a refugee of the Vietnam War. Upon arrival, she was greeted at the airport by a young girl who gifted Nhung a doll to welcome her. Some 40 years later, with the arrival of Syrian families seeking refuge in Canada, Nhung stood at the airport with a doll to welcome a young girl named Alma. This was the inspiriation for her picture book The Doll.
Nhung's other books for children include the autobiographical A Grain of Rice, as well as the picture books Ten Cents a Pound and Green Papayas. The latter of which was nominated for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award in 2024.
In addition to being a children's book author, Nhung was a philanthropist, and a physician in the small town of Calmar, Alberta. In the fall of 2025, she was honoured by her alma mater with a University of Alberta Alumni Honour Award for her contributions to her community and around the world.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Nhung's family and friends.