27 Jan / The Year of the Rooster: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac by Oliver Chin, illustrated by Juan Calle
Well holy, moly! How did a dozen years fly by so quickly?! San Francisco indie press Immedium’s 12-part Tales from the Chinese Zodiac, written by founding publisher and author Oliver Chin, comes full circle with a final, rousing cock-a-doodle-dooooo!!
Mama and Papa welcome Ray to their flock, earning his name by making everyone’s lives brighter with his contagious happiness. He quickly makes friends with Ying, the human neighbor who comes to clean the family coop. While learning how to wake the town one early morning, Ray hears about the legendary phoenix who seems to have left behind a red feather. Intrigued by the mysterious stranger (birds of a feather?), Ray decides he must meet the elusive beast. With Ying as his trusty companion, the dynamic duo set chase, aided along the way by a menagerie of helpful (zodiac) animals …
Reprising his beast-and-buddy adventure a twelfth and final time, Chin goes all out to give each animal his or her due. He’s back with the wink-wink-nod-nod silly (bird brain) jokes for parents, as he once more offers life lessons for the youngest readers, especially our “confident, practical, and talented” roosters. Dramatic pride and swelling egos aside, roosters prove they’re “partners you can count on.”
Here’s to remaining especially “diligent, observant, and vocal” throughout this New Year of the Rooster!
新年快乐 to all.
Readers: Children
Published: 2016