Beyond the Great Mountains: A Visual Poem About China by Ed Young ages 4-8 36 pages Chronicle Books October 2005 Hardcover     This book is a delight, an ingenious format of layered pages that tell a story of the great mountains of China, illustrated with paper-collage and Chinese symbols. Each new layer adds another line of beautiful prose and artwork. The colors and composition are extravagant, each unfolding image larger and more captivating, a garden of natural beauty with words that complement the artist’s vision, unrestricted by conventional ideas: “Beyond the great mountains/ far to the east, a vast fertile plain./ In its sky, mist rose and fell, rain gathering, river cascading/ down cliffs and boulders, through valleys into fields.” The author’s philosophy is revealed in his work: “Rather than show a particular instance of the idea, it reminds me that ideas are bigger than a single instance… that leisure is not simply an activity but a state of being.” Born in China but now living in the United States, Ed Young retains the inspiration of that mystic land. Beautifully bound, this elegant prose combined with imaginative collage is a magical experience. The inside back cover includes a list of Chinese characters then and now, the symbols integrated into the artwork, all flowing together. Introduce a child to the vast beauty of China, if you are able to part with this volume, the harmony, simplicity, tradition and wisdom of ancient symbols. A combination of words and images, this elaborate and unusual feast of words and pictures is a treasure.   web reviews   Luan Gaines/2005 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)