Hitch a Ride with Ralph!
The Year of the Rat: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac
Written by Oliver Chin, Illustrated by Jeremiah Alcorn"[The illustrations of ] artist Jeremiah Alcorn are reminiscent of the work of Chuck Jones, the animator behind such Warner Bros. cartoon characters as Bugs Bunny. They look like animation stills."
- Paul Kilduff, San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco, California-January 15, 2008-Immedium, Inc., proudly announces the publication of The Year of the Rat: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac
, written by Oliver Chin and illustrated by Jeremiah Alcorn. This is the latest title in Immedium's popular annual children's picture book series on the twelve charismatic animals of the Chinese New Year. Now this young rat's amusing tale of growing up will delight children and adults alike.
2008 is the Year of the Rat! The baby rat Ralph explores his new world with the farm boy Bing, but fitting in is a challenge as Ralph learns that behaving right is more easily said than done. But when Bing's birthday party goes awry, can Ralph rescue his friend by using the traits that others frowned upon? Bright and dynamic illustrations will appeal to new parents, those interested in Asian culture, and lovers of classic rodent tales such as Stuart Little and The Mouse and the Motorcycle.
The third in the series Tales of the Chinese Zodiac follows The Year of the Pig (2007) and The Year of the Dog (2006). Each book features a unique cast of creatures from the Chinese lunar calendar. For nearly 5,000 years, the Chinese Zodiac has organized time in cycles of twelve years. Each year is traditionally represented by an animal that symbolizes special qualities. Therefore people born in the year of a particular animal have certain personalities and identify with their signs.
Called a "Pacific Rim pop culture expert" by the San Jose Mercury News and noted for how he "brings large issues into personal focus" by Library Journal, author Oliver Chin honors how the worlds of East and West are growing ever closer.
Now billions of people around the globe celebrate Chinese New Year. This two-week long spring festival is regarded as one of the Top 5 children's events in London, England. In San Francisco, California, the Chinese New Year parade began in 1853 and is now the largest celebration outside of Asia. So, now readers everywhere can welcome the new year right by enjoying the entertaining adventures of The Year of the Rat!
$15.95 USA, Children's Picture Book, ISBN: 978-1-59702-011-4, 10 x 9 5/8, 36 pages