I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the publisher.

A beautifully illustrated book that looks at the stories behind the Chinese Zodiac, this book give a child levelled insight into the creative stories that are the background for the zodiac. Of interest to all ages.

This is an excerpt of a review that was originally published on my website: <a href="https://www.missjennysclassroom.com/2018/03/zodiac-great-race-book-review.html">Miss Jenny's Classroom</a>

Ever wondered why cats chase rats? This is a traditional retelling of the story of how the 12 zodiacs were chosen to represent the 12 year cycle. The story follows the chronological journey of each of the animals that are vying for the honour of being named a zodiac and explains their characteristics such as being kind, clever, etc,

In some ways I see this as a cautionary tale as much as a traditional story. The cat was relying on the rat to help him achieve his goal – rather than putting in the effort to get up himself to make the trip – there’s almost a feel of the Tortoise and the Hare to it which in my opinion would make a good companion story to this one if used at the beginning of a school year.

A charming story with beautiful illustrations of how the years were named after animals in the Chinese calendar - I don't know how much of this is from the original story and how much from the author's imagination. A lovely read for very young children with some cute messages about playfulness, teamwork and finding a strategy that works for you. However the rat and snake were sly and maybe I live in fairyland but if I am reading books to impressionable minds, I want them to read about good qualities.

Thank you to netgalley, publishers and those who worked on this book for the eARC.

The Great Race is a cute little story bringing to life the folktale about the creation of the Chinese Zodiac.

For the longest time there was no way to keep track of the passing time. One day, the Emperor decided to hold a great race. He invited all the animals to join in. The first twelve to cross the river would be given the honour of having a year named after them.

I love myths, legends, and folktales. It's neat to see how useful information is encoded into stories. This story, simply told aloud, teaches kids (and adults) the sequence of the Chinese Zodiac, and provides a duel explanation of why the Zodiac consists of these animals, and also why cats and rats don't get along.

The artwork was… interesting. It's a bit too abstract for me. I prefer things to look a little more realistic. I read this with my cubs though, and the younger ones really liked the pictures. I'm guessing that art is geared towards the younger readers.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a really interesting book. I like the art and the creative storytelling - it is nice to read other stories related to how different cultures and the beginning of the world.

I absolutely loved “The Great Race.” The ending was particularly enjoyable because it was a surprise to me. I hadn’t heard this story before, and I had forgotten about the beginning of the book.

I enjoyed this title that reads like a fable explanation of the Chinese zodiac calendar. It was entertaining to read how the animals competed to secure their places, claim their years and benefit the Emperor by finally providing a way to mark the passage of time. Illustrations are done in bright colors and convey the story well.

I have heard this story before. And, the conclusion of the story is that cats didn’t make it into the Chinese zodiac, and that’s why they hate rats, who did make it in. Funny thing is, that in the Vietnamese Zodiac, the cat did make it, instead of the rabbit. And although we refer to this time of year as Chinese New Year, remember that the Lunor New Year is celebrated by many Asian cultures. So, be clear, if this book is being used in a class room, that there are variations on this story, as well as the zodiac itself.

The pictures are ok. The story telling is clear, but it could have been more.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Learn about the Chinese zodiac and celebrate the Chinese New Year with this folktale that explains how each animal earned its place in the Chinese zodiac.

This is a highly recommendable retelling of the story of the Chinese Zodiac and how the order of the animals came about, new for 2018. The story is easy to understand for KS1 and reception with striking illustrations, containing wonderfully colourful spreads painted in an oriental folk style. This text holds a high level of appeal for young children and is perfect for learning about Chinese New Year.

Why are the zodiac years named after animals. This book tells the story of the great race and why which animals come in which order. It also sneaks in why cats chase rats.

The Great Race tells the story of how the years in the Chinese calendar got their names. This fun animal story is appealingly illustrated and told with a gentle sense of humor. Ideal for young children as a read aloud.

A cute story telling the "origin story" of the Chinese Zodiac. A simple story that's told well enough for the targeted age group. Probably one of the easiest myths to start children onto. Colorful with unique illustrations, it will definitely draw the eyes of children. Though the illustrations do beg the question of, did the artist take a look at pictures of the animals before the book?

A very simple story definitely aimed towards younger kids.

'The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac' by Christopher Corr is a picture book showing how the Chinese zodiac years were determined.

In a time before years or days, the Jade Emperor realize he doesn't know how old he is. He decides a contest is in order and calls for a race among the animals. The first 12 animals across the finish line will have a year named after them. Some of the animals start the race as friends and that changes. Others in kindness help their fellow animals.

The pictures are colorful. The story is fine, except, I sometimes had a hard time reading black text over the illustrations. I wish that text boxes or alternating contrasting text would have been used.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

The Great Race is a Chinese folklore story about the Chinese Zodiac. I remember that we were able to watched a movie about the 12 Chinese animal signs in Disney Channel Asia. I can't recall the exact story of each animals in the movie version, but I can remember some of them just like about the rat, ox, dragon, snake, and pig.

In this version by the Frances Lincoln Children's Books, Christopher Corr's narrative is more detailed I guess. Although, I'm not sure if the story of the other animal signs in this book is similar to the movie or based from the other myth versions. Overall, this charming book will definitely be loved by all kids because of the story and its brightly colored illustrations.

Un tempo lontano, i giorni e i mesi e gli anni scorrevano in Cina senza essere contati.

Finché l’Imperatore decise di segnare il tempo, e indisse una grande corsa per decidere quali dei nobili animali che popolavano il suo Paese avrebbero avuto un anno intitolato.

Il gatto voleva partecipare, ma…

Gli anni ebbero un nome, e tra il gatto e il topo iniziò un’inimicizia che dura fino a oggi.

Una leggenda antica resa con illustrazioni coloratissime e brio nella narrazione, ideale per celebrare il nuovo anno cinese e introdurre i bambini a una tradizione così differente dalla nostra..

Just in time for the Chinese New Year, this is a cute story about how the twelve animals were chosen. It's not highly intellectual, and I'm not even sure if it's how the actual mythology goes. (It seems very simplistic and a bit contrived.) What is it? A cute story that's appropriate for elementary aged children, well illustrated, attempts to explain the Chinese zodiac, and has a funny ending to explain animal phenomena today.

As a child I was always fascinated by the Chinese Zodiac and I would have loved having a resource like this available. The story is interesting and well paced for the age range and the illustrations are vivid and engaging.