The Seven Chinese Sisters

Title- The Seven Chinese Sisters

Author- Kathy Tucker

Illustrator- Grace Lin

Publisher- Albert Whitman & Company

ISBN- 9780807573105

     We all have friends and acquaintances that come and go during our lifetime. But the people that you can always rely are our family members, and more specifically, our siblings. My older sisters have helped me through many difficult times in my life. I have also given them support when they needed it most. Without the love and support of my sisters, I would not be the person I am today.  Because I believe in the importance of sisterhood, I have selected The Seven Chinese Sisters for my multicultural book.

     The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker is the retelling of an ancient Chinese tall tale where identical-looking brothers use superhuman powers to outwit an emperor who wants to execute a brother who has offended him. Tucker's all-girl version of the story is lighthearted and simplistic. Although the seven sisters look alike, they all have very different and unique qualities. One rides a scooter very fast, another is great at karate, one counts very high, another talks to dogs, one can catch any ball and the sixth makes the best noodle soup. There is a seventh sister, the baby, and her special quality is unknown because she is too little to speak. One day a hungry red dragon smells Sixth Sister's noodle soup and wants to eat it. The dragon goes to the house of the seven sisters, sees the baby sister in the kitchen, and takes her instead. Once the dragon brings the baby over a mountain and into his cave, she speaks her first word:  HELP. The other sisters use all of their special talents to get the baby away from the dragon and return her to their home. And when Seventh Sister grows up she becomes the best storyteller and always tells this story first.

      Multicultural literature offers readers a glimpse of a society's lifestyles and customs. Tucker's story shows us what it is like for a girl to live in the Chinese countryside. She tells us that girls ride on scooters, practice karate and cook noodle soup. And then the illustrator, Grace Lin goes further to depict what China is like. Her pictures reveal lovely Chinese landscapes with vibrant green grass, a traditional Chinese home and a red arched bridge. And her illustrations of the dragon seems to show Chinese children that he is not a monster to be feared.  He is slithering like a snake but he has long arms and a smile on his face that makes him less scary and more human. And when he has tears in his eyes at the end of the book, the reader feels sorry for him.  Moreover, Lin's pictures of the girls acting in unison to fight this dragon are inspiring. I particularly like the one where the baby is on First Sister's back as she races down the mountain with the other sisters hanging on to her in a line. This evokes feelings of love and sisterhood.  It is heartwarming to see the Chinese sisters joyfully take care of each other. Chinese children, particularly girls, would identify with these characters and see their culture reflected in a positive manner.  And that is the purpose of multicultural literature:  to have members of a society see their lifestyle positively depicted in order to boost their self-esteem.

     I enjoyed Tucker's story and believe that she and Lin were able to present a tale that is appealing to all children. They highlighted that we may not excel at many things, but if we use our talents together, we can rise against something that appears to be insurmountable. My sisters helped me learn this lesson years ago. I believe that when my sisters and I act as a team we can solve any problem. That is why The Seven Chinese Sisters is an adorable multicultural story that will always hold a special place in my heart.