The Great Race: the story of the Chinese zodiac by Dawn Casey, illustrated by Anne Wilson.

This trickster tale tells the story of the creation of the Chinese zodiac calendar.  The Jade Emperor decides to create a calendar and name each year after an animal.  In order to decide what order the animals should be in, he decides to have them race.  Rat is the smallest of the animals and worries that he will come in last and not have a place on the calendar.  But then Rat gets an idea that just might have him come in first!

The book is great fun with clever ideas and tricks.  The art conveys a strong sense of place while at the same time being whimsical and light-hearted.  Appended at the end is the zodiac calendar where children can find their own year of birth and see what their animal sign means. 

This is a lovely multicultural title that can be shared at any time of the year.  It is a great way to introduce elementary students to the concept of the zodiac and alternate calendar systems. 

Oh, I am the loving and tender-hearted Sheep, married to a happy Monkey, mother to both an honest Ox and a wise Snake.