HANOI, 9 November 2026. Two High School Seniors at Concordia International School Hanoi, Chloe and Mai, have become published authors. Together with their former classmate Giang, they have released Finneas in the Big Wide World, a bilingual English-Vietnamese children's book about wildlife conservation, after two years of work.
The idea took shape in ninth grade, when the friends discovered a shared love of drawing, creative writing and environmentalism. Chloe and Mai had met Giang while attending UNIS, before transferring to Concordia International School Hanoi in their Sophomore year, and the three kept working on the project together. They set out to write a children's story that could present global issues such as climate action and habitat destruction in an engaging, accessible way for young readers. Brainstorming began between lessons, and the core production started during the summer break after ninth grade.
The book follows Finneas, a young African savanna elephant whose habitat is destroyed by human encroachment. Left without a home, he meets the twins Arno and Abina, who are also from South Africa, and the three set off around the world in search of a safe place for him to live. Their quest takes them to the Amazon Rainforest, the Arctic and a cultural festival in Vietnam, but Finneas realises that none of these places can replace his natural habitat. With the help of his new friends, he returns to South Africa determined to protect his home. The story explores conservation, wildlife protection, friendship and the idea that home is where community, family and the natural ecosystem belong.
“What began as a small passion project eventually grew into something much bigger than we ever imagined!”
Mai, High School Senior at Concordia International School Hanoi
Turning a manuscript and sketches into a printed book meant working with a local publishing house in Hanoi through scriptwriting, storyboarding, several drafting rounds and colour editing. The authors rewrote a scene featuring an elephant in circus clothing to comply with Vietnamese legal standards on animals in entertainment, and adjusted line outlines and colour palettes so the illustrations would print clearly, all while keeping up with their High School workload.
The main print edition, in English and Vietnamese, was printed in Hanoi and is available in bookshops and on online platforms. The launch took place at the VNU bookstore on the campus of the Hanoi National University of Education, with an interactive question-and-answer session on environmental inspiration for young readers and families, and a raffle of travel kits and signed books.
The authors are now working to place copies in school libraries, including Concordia's, so that younger pupils can learn about environmental stewardship. Members of the team are also collaborating on Project 10th Life, a service project raising funds and donations for Sân Nhà Nhiều Chó, an animal shelter in Hanoi.
About Concordia International School Hanoi
Concordia International School Hanoi is a private, co-educational international day school with English instruction. It was founded by the same organisation that established Hong Kong International School and Concordia International School Shanghai, and it has served the Hanoi community since 2011.
The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the National Lutheran School Accreditation Commission (NLSA), and is a member of the East Asia Regional Conference of Overseas Schools (EARCOS).
What this means for families
For families in Hanoi, the project shows how an interest that starts in class can grow, over two years, into published work with real readers. It also brings together the creative arts, environmental learning and community service, three areas the authors combined from the first sketches to their work with an animal shelter.
Families comparing schools across the city can also consult the best international schools in Hanoi.
