A series of Chinese language textbooks used in elementary school has been showered with criticism for using too many foreign characters.

According to the Outlook Weekly, many characters who are established as moral models in the textbooks are foreigners. For instance, in a second-grade text “I’m Not The Weakest,” the brave character that protects his weaker friends is named Sascha, while in “Good Man Charlie,” a foreign kid named Charlie shows his good heart and helps his neighbors.

Compared to their foreign counterparts, many Chinese characters, on the other hand, are used as bad examples in the textbooks. In the second-grade text “Kingfisher,” some Chinese kids express their desire to “catch a Kingfisher and keep it as a pet.” Such behavior is outshined by a different text that depicts foreign kids’ loving animals, while a foreign character named Betty tries her best to protect some lost swallows.

“It’s okay to use some foreign characters as good examples in the textbooks, but the excessive use of foreign names may make our kids feel less confident, as they may wonder why Chinese kids are not as good as their foreign peers,” said a parent of a 11-year-old girl.

In response to the public concern, the textbooks’ publisher, People’s Education Press, told the Outlook Weekly that the series is made up of 12 volumes, with over 520 articles. Only 80 of the articles involve foreign characters, while many articles praising outstanding Chinese characters are also included in the textbooks.

“The compilation of textbooks should take the opinions of teachers, parents, and children into consideration. Schools should have the freedom to choose appropriate textbooks for their students according to guidelines,” said Xiong Bingqi, vice president of 21st Century Research Center.