The Year of the Sheep

In this tenth title in the Tales of the Chinese Zodiac series, Chin and Chau introduce Sydney, a baby sheep with enormous blue eyes, cottony swirls of wool, and a strong desire to “explore off the beaten path.” Chin’s story has a tendency to wander, as well, following Sydney’s misadventures as she gets stuck in a tree, falls down a chimney, survives a storm, and eventually helps—along with the other 11 animals of the Chinese zodiac—to undam a river. Working in watercolor, Chau creates a dewy-eyed, playfully caricatured cast of animals and humans that should hold readers’ interest through the story’s bumpier moments. Ages 3–8. (Jan.)