Maples in the Mist by Minfong Ho

Maples in the Mist

(Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books -1996)

Translated by: Minfong Ho

Illustrated by: Jean & Mou-sien Tseng

Grade: 2-5



Maples in the Mist is a group of children's poems written during the Tang Dynasty, when the people were prosperous. During this time, some of the best poetry was written. The poems in this book represent poems of that time that were traditionally taught to children. All the poems are written by different poets and have been translated to English. I loved seeing the different styles of different artists. This book is a great multicultural book to use in the class because you can teach poetry along with background from a different culture.

Theme/Skills taught: Life in China/Embracing different cultures and different languages (written)

About the Translator: Minfong Ho explains that these were some of the poems she learned growing up that stirred her curiosity and increased her pride for her culture. She was hoping through translating them into English, other children would grow to love them as well. This is really the goal of using multicultural literature in the classroom: to share the benefits of different cultures. About Minfong

About the Illustrators: These siblings now live in Glen Cove, NY but grew up with similar poems as small children. They have illustrated these poems in hopes that readers of all cultures will find the beauty that they feel each time they read them (back of book)

Pre-Reading Activities: Give history of the Tang Dyntasy and show the students China on a map.This can be integrated into Social Studies/Geography using world maps and showing students how to locate different areas on a map.

Post Reading Activities: Have the students take the title of a poem and write it based on their life experiences. For example, one is titled "Mountain Road". Have them write a poem about a mountain road they drove on. Also, since every page has Chinese symbols, you can try to have them write their name in Chinese. It would be a great way to embrace different cultures.