Review by Booklist Review
The Chinese folktale of the Great Race, which determined the 12 animals to be featured in the Chinese zodiac, here gets a suspenseful And Then There Were None treatment. It begins with Rat, the winner of the recent race, luxuriating in his den but feeling guilty about pushing Cat into the river during their competition. Rat then convinces the other 11 winners to join him on a trip to go apologize to Cat. Over the course of this perilous journey, the animals fall behind one by one, until only Rat is left to come face-to-face with Cat. The striking digital illustrations provide marvelous action and cunning details about each animal and its home, and readers unfamiliar with the context behind this spinoff will find answers in the author's concluding explanatory note. The aftermath of the showdown between Cat and Rat delivers a satisfying twist.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Rat, victor of the legendary race that determined the Chinese zodiac calendar order, feels guilty, not for claiming the calendar's first year, but for pushing Cat into the river and leaving her behind. Wanting to make amends, Rat persuades the other zodiac animals to journey together and, as a group, apologize. Ho's largely conversational text unfolds as each animal, in reverse race-winning order, falls folly to a predominant trait: Pig, tasked by Rat with finding food for the journey, eats a bundle of persimmons and falls asleep; Sheep, Monkey, and Rooster, asked by Rat to engage in teamwork, engage in an engineering-related argument; and Dragon, always game to assist others, soon heads off to help a distant village. Rat again finishes first, but an unexpected twist from Cat plays on felines' perennial popularity. Li Langrand's vibrant, digitally drawn depiction is rich with details in this amusing homage to a classic tale. An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (Nov.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Rat and the 11 other animals in the Chinese zodiac embark on a quest to find Cat and apologize. In the ancient Chinese tale of the Great Race, Cat did not win a spot in the zodiac because Rat pushed her into the river right before the finish line. Now, Rat is feeling guilty. He enlists the other animals in the zodiac to "find the one they left behind." At Rat's suggestion, the charmingly illustrated animals agree to travel together to the edge of the kingdom, where Cat lives. It's a colorful and daring adventure, making dynamic use of perspective, and along the way, each animal uses their special skill to help the others…while getting left behind themselves. As their number dwindles (in the opposite order of the zodiac), Rat and Ox alone reach the base of the cliff where Cat lives. Rat leaps up without Ox to present himself as the only animal to seek Cat out. But perhaps a rat visiting a cat alone isn't the best plan after all….Ho and Langrand have created a whimsical sequel to the Chinese folktale, and while the premise and artwork are appealing, some elements of the story are confusing. Was it Rat's plan all along to leave the others behind? Is Cat's licking her chops as foreboding as it looks? Still, readers will enjoy the journey even if the ending raises some questions. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An enjoyable twist on the timeless Chinese zodiac tale. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
