Mini Magellan™ Puts Modern Spin on Classic Folk Tale with New Children's Book Jade Stars: The Great Race: How the Chinese Zodiac Came to Be

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Family-friendly publisher Mini Magellan today marked the first milestone in its effort to expand the horizons of parents and children around the world with the release of Jade Stars: The Great Race: How the Chinese Zodiac Came to Be, a children's book designed to be educational and entertaining for all members of the family. The book release comes during Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders living in the United States.

Written by parents, Jade Stars: The Great Race: How the Chinese Zodiac Came to Be puts a modern spin on an age-old Asian tale that has been passed down from generation to generation –  yet is still not widely known.  From authors Charles Huang and Stacey Hirata, and illustrated by Hyperactive Monkey's Jerome Lu, Jade Stars: The Great Race tells the story of how the animals in the Chinese Zodiac earned their places in the lunar calendar, in a colorful, vibrant storybook designed for modern times.

"Although many have heard of the Chinese Zodiac and people born under a particular year identify with their birth animal's personality traits, strengths, weaknesses and compatibility with other animals, the details of why those 12 specific animals are included in that order are not widely known," said Stacey Hirata, the book's co-author and chief operating officer, Mini Magellan. "As the first offering from Mini Magellan, Jade Stars: The Great Race: How the Chinese Zodiac Came to Be embodies our company's mission to expand the horizons of children and families worldwide, celebrating the wisdom of distant and nearby cultures."

The colorful characters in Jade Stars are based on the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, with cute boy and girl versions of each, and are designed in a contemporary art style. Companion plush toys and other Jade Stars products will be available later this year to allow fans to collect the character that matches with their birth year.

Jade Stars: The Great Race: How the Chinese Zodiac Came to Be is available now for a suggested retail price of $17.95, and can be purchased directly from Mini Magellan at www.minimagellan.com.  Families can also purchase a Kindle version from Amazon for $2.99.  For more information about Jade Stars, please visit the company's website.

About Jade Stars: The Great Race: How the Chinese Zodiac Came to Be
To celebrate his birthday, the Jade Emperor has organized a Great Race and invited all of his favorite animals to compete for a place of honor in the heavens. The Jade Stars must use their talents, wits and determination to race to the finish and earn their place in the lunar calendar. Read along as they overcome obstacles, outsmart their competitors and form unlikely alliances in their quest for eternal glory.

About Mini Magellan
Based in Santa Clara, Calif., Mini Magellan was created by Charles Huang and Stacey Hirata to expand the horizons of families worldwide, celebrating the wisdom of distant and nearby cultures. The company promotes family-friendly creative expression and global social awareness through games, toys, art, stories, entertainment and fun interactive play with a modern touch.  Through the launch of the Huang Scholars Program at the University of California at Berkeley and as co-creator of the Guitar Hero video game franchise, Huang has been promoting global consciousness and family entertainment for years.   Hirata is a master of finding creative ways to entertain and engage families, leading marketing teams for iconic pop culture brands such as Pac-Man and Guitar Hero. The first product from Mini Magellan, Jade Stars: The Great Race: How the Chinese Zodiac Came to Be, has already spawned a line of collectible plushes, due in stores later this year.

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SOURCE Mini Magellan