WHY ARE THE YEARS IN THE CHINESE CALENDAR NAMED AFTER ANIMALS? A young girl and her grandmother learn that being far apart in years doesn’t mean they have nothing in common. Mao the cat and her master, Willow, are less than thrilled when Willow’s grandmother, her Nai-Nai, carelessly omits the important role of Cat from her story. Mao proceeds to set the record straight. A beautiful story unravels and we fi nd out why there is no Year of the Cat and how the circle of years moves on. Told through pictures that are reminiscent of the ancient Chinese masters and yet boldly alive, THE CAT’S TALE is a stellar read-aloud.