11/06/2017
Corr (Deep in the Woods) retells an old Chinese legend: the Jade Emperor announces that he will name a year after the first 12 animals to cross the river, and the animals set off. Each creature crosses in a different way according to its personality. The ambitious rat abandons the cat he promised to wake, hitches a ride on an ox, sings to entertain the patient beast as it swims, then dashes off so he can be first. (The cat misses out on the awards altogether, which is why cats always chase rats.) Corr’s vignettes and spreads blaze with color, and his folk-art-style paintings give the figures sinuous contours and stylized eyes. Against backgrounds of contrasting colors, the animals seem to pop off the page. The emperor’s yellow robe is elaborately decorated, and, in his cheerful realm, the sun and the moon look down on grassy fields and pagodas from above. The China conveyed on these pages is a product of the imagination, but the legend is authentic, and it offers sturdy scaffolding for Corr’s striking artwork. Ages 3–6. (Jan.)
"In gorgeous naif artwork, we see the black-bearded emperor throwing his arms wide in his colorful robes, his tiered red headdress a visual echo of a nearby pagoda. Rat arrives first, having failed to wake his best friend, Cat, and having forded the river on the back of Ox. Ox wins second place, and so it goes, animal after animal, until Cat arrives, too late to make the zodiac and spitting mad. And that is why, children, through 'all the many years leading up to this day . . . rats have always fled from cats!'"—Wall Street Journal
"Corr’s vignettes and spreads blaze with color, and his folk-art-style paintings give the figures sinuous contours and stylized eyes. Against backgrounds of contrasting colors, the animals seem to pop off the page."—Publishers Weekly
"In retelling the-traditional tale, Corr skillfully weaves in traits associated with some of the animals. Corr's distinctive folk-art style gouache illustrations are fun, bright, and bold....a good choice for classroom read-alouds....A visually fun and vibrant retelling of the Chinese Zodiac."—School Library Journal
'This read-aloud story also provides a great stepping stone for introducing other cultural ideas to young children.'—BookTrust
This is an easy introduction to the Chinese zodiac for young students. Recommended" —School Library Connection
"An animated introduction to Chinese culture and folklore, Christopher Corr’s The Great Race: Story of the Chinese Zodiac fuses bright colors and lively characters. The wise Jade Emperor’s plan to measure time motivates the entire animal kingdom to take action. Find out who is playful, gentle, sneaky, or lucky, and who misses out entirely, as a horse, monkey, dragon, rat, ox, tiger, and others compete for a place of honor on the newly created calendar."—ForeWord Reviews
' A stunningly illustrated story of how the Chinese zodiac came to be'—Picture Book Blogger
11/01/2017
K-Gr 2—In this picture book telling of the origin of the Chinese zodiac, The Jade Emperor realizes that he needs a way to tell time. In order to name the years, he announces a race for all the animals. Whoever crossed the river first will win, and the first 12 animals will have a year named for them. Rat was supposed to wake up Cat on the morning of the race, but Cat was too heavy a sleeper, which is why there is no year of the Cat, and why cats chase rats to this day. In retelling the traditional tale, Corr skillfully weaves in traits associated with some of the animals, as the Emperor congratulates the "clever rat," "kind ox," and "lucky rabbit." Corr's distinctive folk-art style gouache illustrations are fun, bright, and bold. They're easier to read from across the room than Ed Young's Cat and Rat and help make this a good choice for classroom read-alouds. However, unlike other versions of this tale (including Gabrielle Wang's The Race for the Chinese Zodiac), there is no back matter offering further information. VERDICT A visually fun and vibrant retelling of the Chinese Zodiac, this is a useful complement to other versions.—Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA
2017-10-01
In this retelling of Chinese lunar calendar lore, the animals race to claim a spot in the zodiac.To better measure time, the Jade Emperor announces a race in which the first 12 animals to finish "will each have a year named after them." Antics ensue as the animals use their wits, kindness, and determination to compete. The illustrations, done in acrylic or gouache with solid strokes of color and layered patterns, are attractive, and there is a sophistication to how the primary palette colors are combined. But while the story is culturally Chinese, the artwork seems chiefly inspired by Oaxacan folk art. Some Asian influences can be seen—the compositions reference 16th-century illustrated manuscripts from the Indian Mughal period, and the flat rendering of perspective recalls Persian miniature painting. Despite the fact that these share Asian roots, there seems to be little in Chinese style or reference in the art. Whether that is needed for a Chinese folk story with folk art is debatable. However, the text at times is a bit rote and lacks the luster a strong emphasis on each animal's traditional zodiac personality traits could have given. Ultimately, Corr delivers a handsomely packaged story that begs the questions, from where did it arise, and whom is it for? (Picture book. 3-6)
