Art and text combine in generous double-page spreads to elucidate diverse elements of Chinese culture, one for each letter of the Western alphabet. Four-line verses identify the subject of each illustration, while sidebars offer longer nonfiction entries on subjects as diverse as the Great Wall, chop sticks, Chinese inventions, and Chinese food. The result is an encyclopedic gathering of information about China’s land, people, history, and customs, illuminated by richly colored, realistic, and enticing oil paintings. mac