Twelve in a Race

Twelve in a Race takes readers through the origin story of the Chinese zodiac, including the beginning, middle, and ending of the Emperor's great race. Young readers will enjoy the rhyming pattern and driving question of "Who will win?" Catherine Little, author of Twelve in a Race, was inspired to write this story for her son so that he could learn more about his Chinese heritage. Twelve in a Race's illustrations, done by Sae Kimura, an artist originally from Odawara, Japan, richly portray this version of the Chinese zodiac legend and imaginatively showcase each animal's individual character traits throughout the Emperor's race. Readers will enjoy finding out which animal placed first, which placed last, and which animal correlates to their birth year. Be sure to make room on your bookshelf for this keepsake to read every Lunar New Year and many times in between!