One City, Two Brothers

by Chris Smith

Book Overview

All day he was puzzled, and when night fell he loaded three more sacks onto his donkey, determined to help his brother.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1846860423
• ISBN13: 9781846860423
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Barefoot Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 10.3" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 6 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 4

Customer Reviews

One City, Two Brothers

When two brothers come to Solomon with a dispute about land inheritance, the king tells them the story of two other brothers who secretly transfer grain, each from his own stock to add to his brother's storehouse in the night. In the morning, they are puzzled and dismayed to find their own stores undiminished and, the next night, try again. On the third night, each bearing more sacks of grain for the other, they meet and embrace. This spot becomes the site of the holy temple and the very city of Jerusalem. The legend about Jerusalem has been widely told in English collections of Jewish folklore for generations. What makes this telling different is that Smith, who spent time working in Gaza and the West Bank, now casts it as a Palestinian Arab tale. He steps neutrally through the narrative, except that God is not mentioned as blessing the spot where the two brothers meet. No synagogues are present in any of the city scapes. Asterisks appear near proper names, such as Solomon, where Muslim readers might want to add "may peace be upon him." The production is certainly lovely. Stately Arab brothers move through acrylic blues and greens and reds that fill each page with rich color and simply illuminate the action. Smith took liberty to wrap the story of two loving brothers within the frame of two squabblers, which reinforces the theme of sharing. With his best wishes for peace, it is also unfortunate that Smith gives no sources for his claims in the afterward that this story belongs to both Arabs and Jews. Was it first told by an Arab farmer to a traveler? Is it now told by Arabs who live around Jerusalem? Right now, with Waldman's and Freedman's picture books out of print, this is the only illustrated retelling of the tale. It is a beautiful tale of unselfishness, though not presented here as a Jewish one. For ages 4-8. Reviewed by Sharon Elswit

I Can't Say Enough Good About this Book

Two brothers are fighting about the land their father has left them. They go to King Solomon to seek help. The king tells the brothers a fable about two brothers, much like themselves, who lived in different villages, but who worked their father's land together. One brother lived alone and the other was married and had many children. After one very good crop, the married brother thought that since his brother lived alone that he might need some extra grain late at night, so he loaded three sacks on his cart and travelled to his bother's village and left it at his brother's. The next day when he counted his sacks of grain, the three sacks were back. This happened two more nights, because the single brother thought that because his married brother had so many mouths to feed that he deserved the extra grain. On the third night the moon was full, the stars bright, the night clear and the brothers ran into each other on the top of a hill as they were taking each other extra grain. Without speaking each brother understood the reason for his brother's journey and their hearts were full of love and joy. And it is said that this is the hill where Jerusalem began. When King Solomon finished the tale the two fighting brothers looked at each other, then stood in silence and they never fought again and this is the kind of story you want to be reading to your children. I can't say enough good about this book, the brief synopsis above says it all.

Jewish/Arab Generational Folktale

Chris Smith explains in his author's note that he draws the linked stories of "One City, Two Brothers" not from scripture but from an oral folktale told for generations by both Jews and Arabs living in the Holy Land. 'One City, Two Brothers' by Chris Smith is a striking looking book-Aurelia Fronty, the illustrator has used brilliant blues, greens, orange and reds that instantly attract the eye. The inside cover shows white doves flying by red-heart shaped flowers. Each page is beautifully illustrated and any child or adult will be pleasantly surprised with this book. The story is one of two parables- two sets of brothers; one who love each other and do everything in their power to share their goods and love each other. The other set are always quarreling and seek Solomon to solve their dilemma. Solomon tells them the story of the two brothers who shared their lives and their goods and the place where they met became a place of peace called Jerusalem. Children will come to understand the moral that loving and assisting each other instead of squabbling with each other is the higher ground and the best road to take. The story of Jerusalem is an additional teaching lesson- both Arabs and Jews want Jerusalem as their own. The history of that area is rich in stories and lore. 'One City, Two Brothers' has been nominated as finalist for the Cybil Awards. "Because The Cybil's is a blogger-run, blogger-inspired awards process, we operate with the expectation of openness and transparency. Any reader can nominate a book through the Cybil blog" Cybil Award Blog This book receives high marks from me. A beautiful story told in parable form and a beautifully illustrated book with rich strong colors. Highly Recommended. prisrob 01-02-08

A lesson we all should learn...

As we are raising our children in an increasingly diverse world, we come in contact with other cultures, ideas, customs, and actions that seem foreign and even frightening. At its heart, this book soothes those fears and builds on the foundation of brotherhood, kindness, and looking beyond the mark to something better. A good tale about two brothers and their concern for each other- as well as its ramifications into the future. I have never heard this folktale before and was quite enchanted with it. My two daughters loved it and it served to reinforce the values that we are striving to teach them. The story flowed nicely, with words that were well chosen and added a great pace to the story. The artwork is vivid and unique, a style all its own with great visual impact. This is a great book to have and i am so pleased that i was able to add it to my collection a little earlier than most! :) Highly reccomended!