Dragon Moon (Dragon Keeper) [Paperback]

Carole Wilkinson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Dragon Keeper

In the time of the Han Dynasty in ancient China, a young orphan prepares for a difficult journey. Ping has grown to become a skilled Dragon Keeper, but her greatest challenge is yet to come. After rescuing the baby dragon, Kai, from the evil Emperor, she brings him to a safe haven near the border of the Empire. Now, as Kai grows into a restless young dragon, Ping faces a tough decision. She must find a way to take Kai to the ancient haven of the dragons. Following cryptic clues left by the wise dragon, Danzi, Ping and Kai set off on a long and dangerous journey filled with old friends and new enemies. But the biggest surprise awaits them at the end of their travels, when Ping quickly learns that the hardest part of being a Dragon Keeper may be realizing when it’s time to let go.

With this story of tender friendships and heroic adventure, Carole Wilkinson brings her epic trilogy about dragons in ancient China to a thrilling and satisfying end.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–9—In this final book in the trilogy, Ping has grown into a responsible Dragon Keeper for Kai. Danzi, Kai's father and Ping's first dragon, has left instructions for the girl to take Kai to the Dragon Haven where he can grow up safe from human influence. Following an ancient and faded map, the two set out to discover if Kai, now an adolescent, is the last of the dragons. During the journey, many of Ping's old friends are rediscovered. The story, set during the Han dynasty, offers an unusual combination of fantasy and ancient Chinese culture in which the dragons have extraordinary lives that not only affect Ping, but all of China as well.—June H. Keuhn, Corning East High School, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The satisfactory conclusion of the Dragon Keeper trilogy, set in ancient China, features lone female dragon keeper, Ping, and her young dragon, Kai. As Kai’s future at Beibai Palace grows more dangerous, Ping unravels puzzles left by Kai’s father, Danzi, that instruct her to deliver Kai to the safety of a secret dragon haven. The long and difficult journey relies on coincidence and contrivance, but the humor, mild danger, and human-dragon friendship will appeal to young fantasy readers. Math teachers may want to read aloud the passage about the seven-cunning-pieces puzzle to accompany tangram geometry activities. Grades 4-6. --Cindy Dobrez --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; Reprint edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423111745
• ISBN-13: 978-1423111740
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,335 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Dragons

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect conclusion to an ancient tale, May 7, 2011

By 

History_Girl (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragon Moon (Dragon Keeper) (Hardcover)

This is the final story in the DragonKeeper trilogy (previous novels "DragonKeeper" and "Garden of the Purple Dragon".

Ping and Kai are seeking the Dragon Haven - a place for Kai to live in peace based upon clues left by Danzi. Kai is now growing up fast and Ping starts to wonder about her own future.

Many characters who appeared in previous novels come back to give a final feel to this book. The young Emperor must decide his own path and Ping begins to have strong feelings about a young boy who is now a man - but wonders if her heart will have what it wants or if she will need to sacrific her own happiness to protect the safety of Kai. But the ever present question is: Are there more dragons? or is Kai the last one?

An enjoyable book that concludes the series with a sense of closure that is something lacking in other novels. While the ending surprised me, I was nevertheless happy with how it all worked out.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for kids 8-12, November 9, 2010

By 

The Anonymous Eeviewer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragon Moon (Dragon Keeper) (Hardcover)

I received this book first in the series. I had no idea that it was the third book in the series. Occasionly the story would raise a question to my lips, about something that had happened in the previous books. The story was so thrilling that I decided that my questions could wait until i finished.
Ping was a slave not a month before, and now she is a dragon keeper taking the baby dragon Kai to a place that Danzi told her about, a place where no men can go. A dragon Haven. Ping sets out to find the Haven, but must pass through many dangers. The Great Wall of China and the barbarians beyond it. Ping is sure she will live happily with Kai until the end of her life.
Until her last challenge, will Ping part with Kai? Is the little dragon ready to leave her, and is Ping prepared to give up her ability as a dragon keeper?

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dragon Moon, June 7, 2009

By 

Vipin Sharma - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragon Moon (Dragon Keeper) (Paperback)

My Son wrote this review...
I read Dragon Moon by Carole Wilkinson. The main characters are Ping and Kai. Ping was a slave for the imperial dragon keeper. A few years ago Ping had witnessed Danzi's (Kai's father) mate be chopped up and sold. Then Ping and Danzi escaped. They took an oval stone to they where Danzi parted company with Ping and the stone. After Danzi left the stone cracked and broke open, the stone was an egg. A dragon emerged from the remains of the stone.
A few years later Kai now a young Dragon and Ping lived in a palace north of the great wall. Then Danzi sent her a map. Saying that she should take Danzi to a secret place in the mountains. After walking for days Ping finally figures out the maps secret they had to follow Danzi's coded instructions. After many more days Ping got an idea. She was walking on the great wall heading west. The guards on the wall wouldn't let her through until Ping flashed her mirror into their eyes. This let Ping control them for a while.
On the wall she ran into a garrison. They thought she was a sorcerer. And kept her there. During the night the garrison was attacked by a group of barbarians. They gave her a horse and helped her on her way. Not long after that she found Kai. She couldn't shake the feeling they were being followed. She looked behind them and found out they were being followed. One of Ping's friends was with them.
You can read the rest yourself.

I really liked this book because I liked the suspense when Ping feels bad. I also liked the action in the book when Kai fights the Black Dragon. I would give this book two thumbs up. And I would highly recommend it for people that like dragons or fantasy stories.