THE YEAR OF THE CAT by Phuong Chi Nguyen, Daniel Rettig and Mae Linh Rettig is a delightful retelling of an old story, explaining why the animals of the Eastern zodiac have the positions they have, and why those positions are slightly different in Vietnam than they are in China or Japan. The tale is told both in Vietnamese and English, with both languages on each page for easy reference and comparison. The illustrations by Thaomy Le are positively gorgeous, full of brilliant color, vibrant motion, and animals full of personality and charm. The world here is rich and lively, with deep green forests and brightly-decorated towns, farms with terraced strips of pale green, and night scenes on the river with lanterns and floating lotus flowers. Each of the animals has their own distinct personalities, from the trickster Rat to the hungry Pig, and most of the animals Cat manages to overtake are caught by their own nature, with Dog distracted by a cat doll to chase, friendly Goat stopping to play with children, Dragon diverting to save a village from a fire, Horse lured off course by a race, and so forth. Of the three who beat Cat and Rabbit, Rat wins by tricks, Ox by hard work, and Tiger by sheer ferocity.
Asian zodiac stories from other countries may leave readers, especially those younger in age, feeling sorry for the tricked and excluded Cat. Here, though, while the Rat’s tricks still give him first place, the Cat is not outright denied a place in the zodiac at all, but finishes fourth in an amicable tie with Rabbit, and they agree to share the year between them, a pleasant example of cooperation and friendliness. The language is simple and clear, easy for a beginning reader to understand. However, sometimes the script is hard to read, especially against the busier backgrounds, and especially when the words’ color comes too close to the background color (white against paler backgrounds or brown/black against darker ones). There’s a brief explanation of the Asian lunar zodiac on the last page, expressed simply and clearly for younger readers. All in all, this is quite a beautiful book, with remarkably lovely illustrations and a charming story that will hold even small children’s attention until the very last page.
THE YEAR OF THE CAT by Phuong Chi Nguyen, Daniel Rettig and Mae Linh Rettig is a visually-appealing, lively story told in two languages, with delightful animals and an action-packed race.
~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader