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.

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.