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Oliver Chin: Oliver Chin is the author of the popular annual children's book series Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. This remains the only series in English on the animals of the Lunar New Year, which is increasingly celebrated worldwide. He presents at schools, libraries, and museums nationwide and teaches artists of all ages how to create their own comic books.
Illustrated by professional animator Kenji Ono, the dynamic artwork makes the zodiac animals jump off the pages. It's great fun to look for all 12 animals appearing throughout the book... Max exudes energy and determination, two wonderful traits to carry into the Year of the Monkey to achieve your dreams. - Sampan ...the eleventh in Oliver Chin's highly acclaimed Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series is another winner, combining the playfulness that makes the stories so appealing to young readers with some good role-modelling... the cover is enough to demonstrate that the illustrations are as energetic as the narrative... Children will love the energy of both the narrative and the animation-inspired pictures in The Year of the Monkey - and alongside the humour there is a depth to the story, as young readers observe how Max doesn't give up when he realises that Jianzi is harder than he first thought and also learns to save his mischief for playtime. The book is another great addition to the Tales of the Zodiac series, as well as a thoroughly enjoyable stand-alone story for this Year of the Monkey and beyond. - Mirrors, Windows, Doors Ono's experience in 'moving pictures' is easily recognizable here, as Max's never-still energy can hardly be contained. - BookDragon, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center I can easily see this book on school library bookshelves as its subject matter is really quite universal. The book is filled with strong action verbs, some which may be new to youngsters. These wonderful examples convey how words, complemented by fun illustrations, can add to the overall reading experience even make reading aloud for parents enjoyable and entertaining. - Good Reads with Ronna I liked all of the colorful illustrations and the overall messages of teamwork, practice, courage, and determination. I think this book is a fun way to introduce children to the lunar new year. Be sure to point out the other animals in the Chinese zodiac that are shown throughout the book. We had fun searching for them on the different pages! - Here We Read The story is very well written... The bold, bright illustrations are a perfect match for the lively, action-packed story... The Year of the Monkey is a fun, colorful, adventurous story of friendship, spirit, and determination, and a great addition to the Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series. - Frog a Blog
