From Organization / 国外机构评价: |
| Kindergarten-Grade 3?In this version of the story behind the Chinese zodiac, the Emperor challenges all of the creatures to a race through forest and river, saying he will name each of the 12 years in the cycle after the winners. Rat and Cat, the best of friends, ask the water buffalo to carry them across the river. In sight of the finish line, Rat pushes Cat into the water and jumps off the buffalo's back, coming in first. "And that is why, to this very day, Cat and Rat are enemies." Young tells the story in lively, spare prose, and includes a chart of the signs and their characteristics. His charcoal and pastel drawings on dark blue and buff rice paper are elegant and full of action. Yet because of the somber colors, the pictures are hard to read, especially from a distance. Setting white type on black background only adds to the gloom. Monica Chang's The Story of the Chinese Zodiac (Pan Asian, 1994), a bilingual import, illustrates the same story with paper sculptures that are brighter but more conventional, and without a chart connecting years to animals. Clara Yen's Why Rat Comes First (Childrens, 1991) tells a different version, and provides chart signs and years with brief explanations of the characteristics. Since 1996 will be the Year of the Rat, schools and libraries planning Chinese New Year celebrations can use Young's title, although the shadowed passion of his drawings forms an uneasy partnership with what is essentially a light trickster tale.?Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA |
Foreign Customer Review / 国外客户评价: |
| This is a wonderfully charming and beautifully illustrated children's book explaining the legend of how the Chinese years came to be named for animals. It really is a marvelous little tale, but don't plan on reading it in dim light. The illustrations are so low-key as to be invisible in low light and the reverse (white on black) text is equally unviewable. So save "Cat and Rat" for a daytime reading or with the lights full on.
The story itself, whether adapted from an actual Chinese legend, is wonderul. Cat and rat are great friends. The Emperor announces a contest, a race for all the animals. The first twelve animals to cross the finish line will have a year named in their honor.
How the friends cat and rat became enemies is an engaging tale. Words and pictures work well in this book.
Great for dramatic reading to the little ones in your life.
Jerry |
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