Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations in Asian culture. The traditional Chinese calendar is represented by 12 animals. The Great Race is a story about the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and how they were placed on the lunar calendar. The illustrations are cute, colorful, and inviting young children. The story is told in a way that honors the traditional elements of the Asian culture, yet is easy to understand. Children and parents can learn the origin of the lunar calendar and then identify the animal of their birth years with a date-specific zodiac chart.