The Five Chinese Brothers

I enjoyed the idea of this book but I did not like how it was illustrated. First, this book presents many stereotypes from the beginning. The front page shows the five Chinese brothers and every one of them looks exactly the same. Also, they are all yellow, which is another stereotype made up to degrade the Asian culture. The book is about five Chinese brothers who each have a special strength to them. One can stretch his legs as long as he wants. The other brother can't be burned while another brother has a iron neck. Finally, one can swallow the sea and the last brother could hold his breath for however long he wanted. The idea of the book is very interesting and children love this book I am sure because I too enjoyed the idea that show more went behind it, however the stereotypes presented in this book are far too insulting to ever want to read this to any class I have. I am giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars because I enjoyed the supernatural part of the story but I did not like the racism it presented. show less

Not a cozy picture book to snuggle up on the couch with, this shocking fable of long ago tells the story of five Chinese brothers who band together to take advantage of their striking physical similarities and bizarre talents to save the life of one of the eccentric brothers. Sometimes upsetting and even gruesome this inventive story portrays the brothers’ tag-team effort to save the life of the unjustly accused brother. Despite (or maybe because of) the grisly topic, this classic book has been a favorite of young children since its original publication in 1938. Young readers are consistently fascinated by each brother’s narrow escape and delighted as the brothers cleverly exhibit a sequence of death-defying feats. The show more attention-grabbing pen and ink drawings, floating in the white space of the page, supplement the grim text with humorous cartoon images of the brothers’ outlandish exploits. The black and white images (highlighted with yellow) have been criticized for portraying all Chinese people the same. It’s the five brothers’ amazing escapes that children will focus their attention on, making this “blast from the past” an imaginative and fun read aloud book for children in kindergarten through third grade. show less

This is a strange story about five identical brothers with special powers who outwit an executioner. It is apparently a Chinese folk tale, but except for the brothers being referred to as "The Chinese Brothers" every single time they're mentioned, there's nothing particularly Chinese about it. But I guess in 1938 (when it was published) China was sufficiently "alien" to make references to its culture a required feature whenever possible. The drawings are caricatures - everyone has a queue hairstyle (which ended some 15 years before this book) and round cap and robes - but I don't know if I'd necessarily label the book as racist. Perhaps the next reader will have more thoughts on the matter.

In China lived five brothers, each in appearance exactly like the others. Each, too, had a special ability: the first could swallow the sea; the second had an iron neck; the third could stretch his legs very far; the fourth couldn't be burned; and the fifth could hold his breath indefinitely. When a young boy is drowned while collecting shells from the sea bed after the first brother had drunk up the sea, the first brother is sentenced to be killed. However, his brothers' special talents may be just what is needed to save him.

The Five Chinese Brothers is a picture book, written by Claire Huchet Bishop and illustrated by Kurt Wiese. I enjoyed it greatly as a child, though, looking back on it as an adult, there are some problems with show more it.

The problem is with the illustrations. They are lovely and entertaining, but they are also sadly stereotypical of Chinese people. I'd hesitate to call them racist, but they certainly reflect the time the were published, back in 1938. The Chinese people in general, and not merely the identical brothers, are all drawn as being essentially identical, with yellow skin, closed eyes, and hands together in their sleeves. Usual, I suppose, for the time, though such illustrations would be fairly offensive today--the book would probably not be published.

I understand that there's a more recent retelling of the story by Margaret Mahy, with illustrations by Mou-Sien Tseng, called The Seven Chinese Brothers, which may lack these problems and so be preferable, but I've not read it, so I can't comment.

Even with its problems, The Five Chinese Brothers is a great book. If it should, perhaps, be read by parents together with their children, in order to ensure an appropriate understanding that the book doesn't accurately represent Chinese people, well, that's not so bad--children's books are usually best read by parents and children together, anyway. show less

Five brothers that look eerily the same possess magic powers, such as swallowing up the sea or surviving a fire. One brother lets a young boy tag along on a fishing trip. The brother swallows the sea so the boy can gather fish. Tragedy strikes when he can no longer hold the sea in and releases the water, drowning the young boy. Accused for murder, the brother faces execution until his brothers step in to save him. Each uses their gift to survive execution and the brother is let go for being proven innocent. The brothers return home and live happily ever after.

Fairy tales were originally very dark, and this tale is no exception. Murder is a heavy topic in this book and I'm not sure how well the trial was handled, but that's just me. It show more was an accident, after all. I wasn't fond of the illustrations, as they seemed to stereotype the Asian culture immensely. There are only three colors used and overall I wasn't wowed with it. I can see why teachers were banning it from the classroom. show less

This story have been around since 1936. It is based on a passed down folk tale. It has been banned for “racist, and stereotypical” depiction of Chinese people through the illustrations. One thing to remember is that this is a product of 1936 where usually no more than 4 colors were used in printing. Even if the illustrations were redone today, I think parents would still want this book banned. The story is of 5 brothers who each go to be executed but survive. Yep. The townspeople try to cut off someone’s head, tries to burn someone alive, try to drown them, etc. But that is not why this book was banned. I loved everything about this. It is such a classic, and unlike modern fairy tales has not been “cleaned” up for an audience. show more It has been left in its original form, and I think that makes it that much more special. show less

I would utilize this book in a second, third, fourth, or fifth grade classroom because of the somewhat violent attempted murders throughout the book. This book would be a great tool to utilize when teaching about the importance of teamwork. Educators could use this book an example of how cooperation, teamwork, and courage can accomplish even the most challenging of scenarios. The family aspect of the book is a nice addition to the plot and allows for students to see how siblings can get along in a positive way. One could also use this book when learning about Chinese history, specifically about the Great Wall of China.