Five Brothers book

The Five Brothers LEVELED BOOK • N

A Reading A–Z Level N Leveled Book BThroethFeivres
Word Count: 696
H•K•N
Connections
Writing Retold by Betty Yee • Illustrated by Julie Kim
Think of another story where someone
tricks someone else. Make a Venn www.readinga-z.com
diagram that compares that story with
The Five Brothers.
Social Studies and Art
Use the details in the book to create a
map of the magistrate’s land. Include a
map key and a compass rose. Compare
your map with a partner’s.

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The Five Words to Know
Brothers
abilities magistrate
China seized
dungeon task
enraged treasure
greedy

Retold by Betty Yee The Five Brothers Correlation
Illustrated by Julie Kim Level N Leveled Book LEVEL N
© Learning A–Z
www.readinga-z.com Retold by Betty Yee Fountas & Pinnell L
Illustrated by Julie Kim Reading Recovery 20
Focus Question
All rights reserved. DRA 28
How do the brothers trick
the magistrate? www.readinga-z.com

Long ago in China, there lived five One day, Fifth Brother came across a
brothers who looked exactly alike. The strange garden. He decided to rest and
only way to tell them apart was by their enjoy a delicious apple.
amazing abilities.
Suddenly, three soldiers appeared and
First Brother was as strong as ten water seized him. “This garden belongs to the
buffalo. Second Brother could fly in the magistrate. Nobody may eat his fruit!”
sky like a bird. Third Brother could hear a soldier shouted.
an ant sneeze. Fourth Brother could make
his body iron hard. Fifth Brother could 4
hold his breath for hours. Fifth Brother
also had another ability that happened
when he cried. His tears flowed so
quickly that they turned into a river.

The Five Brothers • Level N 3

The magistrate was an evil, greedy
man. He announced his decision: “I will
let you go.” Fifth Brother interrupted
him with a shout of joy.

The magistrate continued. “I will let
you go if you bring me the treasure of
Fire Island.”

They dragged Fifth Brother to the Fifth Brother sighed deeply. Fire Island
court of the magistrate. Enraged, the was in the middle of a nearby lake. A
magistrate declared that Fifth Brother dragon lived there, guarding its treasure.
should be locked away forever in his Stealing it seemed like an impossible
deepest dungeon. task, but Fifth Brother agreed to try.

“Please take pity, Magistrate,” Fifth 6
Brother begged. “I didn’t know it was
your garden! I didn’t notice any warning
signs to stay out of the garden. Please,
I will do anything to stay free.”

The Five Brothers • Level N 5

That night, as he sat in his prison cell,
Fifth Brother felt frightened. He dared
not cry, for he knew what would happen
if he did. Instead, he whispered, “Third
Brother, help me!”

Far away, Third Brother put a hand
to his ear. “Fifth Brother is in trouble!”
he declared. After listening to Fifth
Brother’s story, Third Brother told his
other brothers what had happened.
They decided to go help their brother
get the treasure.

The Five Brothers • Level N Second Brother used his ability to fly to
bring the brothers to Fire Island. They all
hid out of sight.

Then Second Brother flew to the
magistrate’s dungeon. He whispered the
brothers’ plan to Fifth Brother through
a window.

78

In the morning, the magistrate brought When Fifth Brother should have
Fifth Brother to the edge of the lake. appeared on the shore, Fourth Brother
came out of his hiding place. He waved
“We’ll be watching you like a hawk,” at the magistrate from the beach. Then
warned the magistrate. “Don’t try to he looked for the dragon.
run away!”

Fifth Brother took a deep breath and The dragon raced out of its den, blowing
dove into the water. He remained a stream of fiery breath at Fourth
underwater while his brothers worked Brother. However, the fire had no effect
to get the treasure. on his iron-hard body. Fourth Brother
laughed as he led the dragon on a chase
The Five Brothers • Level N 9 around the island. Finally, Fourth Brother
hid behind a rock.

10

First Brother gathered up the dragon’s
treasure and dove into the lake.
Underwater, he handed the treasure to
Fifth Brother, who had been holding his
breath all along.

Next, First Brother jumped out. He used
his power of amazing strength to lift the
dragon and throw it very far away.

The Five Brothers • Level N 11 12

Fifth Brother swam back to where the When Fifth Brother heard this, he started
magistrate waited and dropped the to cry. The first tear that hit the ground
treasure at his feet. became a puddle. The second tear
turned the puddle into a pond. Before
“Here is your treasure. Now let me go!” long, his tears became a rushing river
Fifth Brother panted. that swept the magistrate away.

The magistrate was a very greedy man, 14
and he had other ideas. “I can never
lose a servant with such amazing
powers. You must stay with me forever,”
he declared.

The Five Brothers • Level N 13

Glossary

abilities (n.) skills or talents (p. 3)

China (n.) a large country in Asia
where people have lived
for five thousand years
(p. 3)

dungeon (n.) an underground prison
cell, often in a castle (p. 5)

enraged (adj.) very angry (p. 5)

greedy (adj.) wanting more than what
one needs or deserves
(p. 6)

Once the land dried out, the brothers magistrate (n.) a local official in charge
journeyed home. They were happy to of the law for a particular
be together again. area or region (p. 4)

The next day, Fifth Brother announced seized (v.) took control by force (p. 4)
that he was going on a walk. His
brothers made him promise never to task (n.) a piece of work that needs
eat out of strange gardens again. to be done (p. 6)

treasure (n.) something that is very
special or worth a lot
of money (p. 6)

The Five Brothers • Level N 15 16