The Great Race

This is a great book for kids that want to know more about the Chinese Zodiac. The retelling of the tale is very similar to other stories I have heard and overall gives a great picture to kids on the order of the zodiac. The illustrations are very bright and colorful which gives the book great appeal. The only thing that I thought might have been different is introducing the cat earlier in the story instead of right at the end. I thought this should have been done to understand that the cat was supposed to be in the race as well but the rat tricked the cat into thinking it was the wrong day/oversleeping. Overall though a great book for kids that is easy to understand.

This is a pictorial retelling, for young children, of an Asian legend explaining the zodiac. In the west we have a zodiac which is fairy-tale interpretation of certain constellations which lie along the apparent path of the Sun across the sky, and which is comprised of (from the start of the year to the end): Aquarius, Pisces, Ares, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn.

In other parts of the world, other names are ascribed to these apparent patterns of stars. The Chinese zodiac consists of Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, and Ox, but their system is much more complex than ever it became in the west, assigning birth years to the signs, and also yin and yang, and the antiquated "elements" such as earth fire, metal, water, and wood, so the whole thing forms a sixty-year cycle. This is how you get a zodiacal sign assigned to your birth year.

This story doesn't go into anywhere near that much detail, and instead retells the legend of how the signs came to be in the order to which all Asians are accustomed. It all began with a foot race declared by the Jade Emperor in celebration of his birthday. All of his favorite animals were to compete, and the first twelve to cross the line would be immortalized in the stars.

Each of the animals uses whatever talents it has peculiar to its species to try and get ahead, and slowly, as we turn the pages, we discover some of the little animals faring better than others.

I'm not Asian, and I certainly don't believe in horoscopes or zodiacal powers, but that's not the point here! The point is whether you're interested in fun fairy tales and legends, and in how different peoples of the world think about their surroundings and their place in nature. This story is beautifully and simply told, and it's elegantly illustrated, offering some educational material as to what lies behind the fictional story. I liked it.

A delightfully illustrated book telling the folktale of how the animals in the Chinese Zodiac came to be in the order they are. It seems the Great Jade Emperor organised a race and this story shares the events of the race - including why cats hate rats!

The story is told in a manner that children will find it easy to relate to and the illustrations really enhance their understanding of the events. This is a brilliant book sharing the traditional Chinese folktale in a way that is accessible and comprehendible to others, too. It demonstrates that the fastest and strongest don’t always come first and how unlikely alliances can influence the outcome.

This book would be a brilliant resource for anyone trying to explain and celebrate the Chinese New Year - especially teachers trying to explain it to their class as it could lead on to lots of work relating to PSE and citizenship.