When Fred the Snake and Friends Learn the Chinese Zodiac and the Great Race (Fred the Snake Series) - Softcover

Cotton, Peter B.

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798899890628

Publisher: Bublish, Incorporated, 2025

Synopsis

2026 Mom’s Choice Gold Award Winner
2026 International Impact Book Award Winner in Children’s Picture Books
“Energetic and educational....young readers will enjoy the familiar rhyme scheme and humor, and adults will welcome the book’s mix of fun and education...” —Kirkus Reviews

The Chinese calendar, it appears,
has animals instead of years!
And, it is no mistake,
2025 is the Year of the Snake.

After returning home from his travels across the United States, Fred the Snake heads back to school and meets two new friends, Ellie and Connor, who introduce him to the exciting traditions of the Chinese Zodiac.

When Fred discovers that 2025 is the Year of the Snake, he and his friends learn about the legendary Great Race that determined the order of the twelve Zodiac animals. From the clever Rat and brave Tiger to the loyal Dog and gentle Pig, each animal’s story and personality comes alive through playful rhymes and vibrant illustrations.

Filled with humor, friendship, and cultural discovery, this delightful picture book introduces young readers to Chinese traditions, the Lunar New Year, and the meaning behind the Zodiac animals in a fun and engaging way. Perfect for families, classrooms, and curious readers, this adventure celebrates learning, diversity, and the joy of discovering new cultures.

“For families celebrating the Lunar New Year, for readers whose own birthday falls in the Year of the Snake, or for any child wanting to know more about Chinese traditions, this story is a satisfying and enriching read..” —The Children’s Book Review

About this title

About the Author

Peter Cotton grew up in Herefordshire, England, and studied medicine at Cambridge University. He went on to become one of the most influential gastroenterologists of his generation, pioneering endoscopy procedures that changed how doctors treat patients and authored the primary endoscopy textbook. Over six decades he trained hundreds of physicians and lectured in more than fifty countries, working at three university hospitals, The Middlesex in London, Duke in North Carolina, and finally the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where he now lives on the eco-sensitive Dewees Island. In 2012 Peter published his memoirs, The Tunnel at the End of the Light, and has since published the sequel, Reflections: After Leaving the Tunnel. Alongside his medical career, Peter has written ten award winning books for young children about Fred the friendly snake, having fun in rhyme with Jungle Jim, Perdy, Jack, and several animal friends. The books have received many five-star reviews, with all ten titles recognized with a Mom's Choice Gold Award. Peter enjoys presenting Fred at schools and libraries, travels widely to teach, and reflects on his life and career in his blogs and published memoirs. More at petercottontalesdotcom.

From the Back Cover

This is the tenth book in the series about Fred the lovable snake and his human and animal friends. Having completed exploring USA, he goes back to school and meets two Chinese kids. They teach him all about the Chinese Zodiac calendar in which twelve animals represent years in rotation. 2025 is the year of the snake! The order is determined by how the animals finish in the Great Race. Let's go!

Edition details

• Publisher: Bublish, Incorporated
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798899890628
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Lemaire Bonnie
• Number of pages: 44