Written in the spirit of bestsellers such as Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, French Children Don't Spit Food, and The World's Best Students, Chinese Children Are Little Soldiers is a sweeping exploration of a celebrated—yet secretive - the Chinese education system, which many perceive as an example to follow. In 2010, students from Shanghai firmly established themselves at the top of international rankings, making students from other countries quite nervous. After moving to Shanghai with her family, American journalist Lenora Chu immediately noticed how well-behaved Chinese children were — especially compared to her lively three-year-old son. How did the Chinese manage to achieve such success? And will studying in a Chinese school benefit their child? Lenore Chu and her husband decided to send three-year-old Rainey to a public kindergarten. The results were not long in coming: the boy quickly settled into the team, got used to strict discipline, began to pick up Mandarin and made friends. But soon the first alarm bells rang. Lenora Chu wondered what went on behind the closed doors of the classroom — and began studying the Chinese education system. Lenora interviewed Chinese parents, teachers and professors, as well as students in Chinese kindergartens, schools and universities. During the course of her research, Lenora discovered that the Chinese education system is in many ways similar to the military. Quizzes and tests are of paramount importance here, and teachers are not shy about displaying student results for everyone to see, rewarding (read: bribing) those who try to conform — and shaming those who fall behind and those who don’t fit in. At the same time, Lenora found out that the government has been trying for many years to lighten the academic burden placed on the shoulders of students and make the educational system more friendly for everyone. The more Lenora learned, the more she wondered: Are Chinese children—and her son along with them—paying too high a price for discipline, obedience and eventual academic success? Is there a way to preserve the advantages of the Chinese approach and at the same time offset its disadvantages? And what could Western education learn from Chinese education? Lenora Chu's research challenges conventional wisdom and makes us think about the true values and purpose of education.