A Thousand Peaks: Poems from China

A Thousand Peaks: Poems from China by Siyu Liu and Orel Protopopescu, illus. by Siyu Liu, is not your average poetry collection. Within the three sections organized under headings such as ""Social Structure"" each poem amplifies the theme, and informative text below often includes a brief bio of the poet. For instance, in the first section, ""Pity the Farmer,"" describing the peasant work ethic, is paired with ""Passing Huaqing Palace,"" the emperor's home from which ""a concubine smiles"" both written during the Tang dynasty. In the center of the spread, the literal translation appears below traditional Chinese characters. Resource listings and a guide to Chinese language pronunciation are included. A delicate watercolor scene opens each section. (Feb.)