The Year of the Horse: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac – A Multicultural Book Review

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Author: Oliver Chin

Illustrator: Jennifer Wood

Year of Publication:  2014

Publisher:  Immedium, Inc.

 

The Chinese Zodiac

 

 
The Chinese Zodiac is popular in  Asian countries such as, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam and Japan.
 
 
The Zodiac begins with the sign of The Rat.

1.  Rat

2.  Ox

3.  Tiger

4.  Rabbit

5.  Dragon

6.  Snake

7.  Horse

8.  Goat

9.  Monkey

10.  Rooster

11.  Dog

12.  Pig

 

2014, is the year of the horse.

 
 

Thank goodness for open spaces, because the Horse needs plenty of room to roam! Energetic, good with money and very fond of travel, Horses are the nomads of the Chinese Zodiac, roaming from one place or project to the next. All of this Sign’s incessant activity and searching may be to satisfy a deep-rooted desire to fit in. Paradoxically, Horses feel a simultaneous yearning for independence and freedom. You can read more about the horse here.

 
Famous Horses are Rembrandt, Chopin, Davy Crockett, and Teddy Roosevelt!
 
 

 
 

Review

 
The Year of the Horse – Tales from the Chinese Zodiac is about friendship, trust and working together.  Painting nearby, a young boy and his art teacher, Lao Shi, visit a stable to see the horses.  While there, he  meets and befriends Hannah, a young foal who was born to a decorated show horse and a winning race horse.  Together, they forge a beautiful friendship.  When Lao Shi, needs help delivering her precious painting to the governor – who lives in a town very far away – Tom and Hannah are on the job.  understandably, Hannah’s parents were very concerned.  A young horse and a young boy going on such a long trip – how would they handle it?  But there wasn’t a more suitable team, and after much persistence from the young foal, her parents and Lao Shi relented.

Of course, since this was their first long trip, they had to do a lot of practice so that they knew how to work together.  And practice they did!  The partnership grew in leaps and bounds, and before anybody knew it – it was time for them to set off on their trip.  Together they worked through all the obstacles – winding rivers, hissing snakes, and more!  And together – they made it!

A fun-loving book with an excellent Message of friendship and love – The Year of the Horse is not only well written, its eye-popping illustrations that will engage and entertain your eager beginning reader.

 

You can purchase your copy of The Year of the Horse – Tales from the Chinese Zodiac on Amazon.com here.