Dragon Keeper

This selection is about a slave girl who later finds out her name is Ping. She then joins a magical dragon named Danzi in his quest to the ocean. All the while, she is with Danzi Ping must overcome her passive ways, and in addition step up to the challenge of becoming a dragon keeper. If you are looking for a book to dive into look no further, because this one will surely be worth your while. The Dragon Keeper is a beautiful showcase of literature. For instance, Carole Wilkinson writes so much description I personally felt like I was in the Han dynasty- right there with Ping and Danzi. When Wilkinson writes about when Ping sneaks into the necromancer's house, it is like she is painting you a picture. She describes the house by writing that Ping sees "tiger's tails", "dog and wolf skulls", "a featherless bird" "in a cage", and "a rancid smell" filling the air. All these words used open your mind to Ping's world, yet they also transform the mood, which shows her talent with imagery. Not only did I like the writing of Carole Wilkinson, but I also enjoyed the suspense and excitement in this excellent read. An example of excitement is when Ping, the main character, escapes Huangling, the prison that was her home, with Danzi. In addition, there is another time in the book after she has escaped where she must steal the magical dragon stone from the same necromancer without waking him, a task that proves difficult. Even more, suspenseful is when Ping and the dragon hunter, Diao, face off on Tai Shan Mountain in a bloody battle. At Tai Shan only one leaves alive! Who doesn't like a book that keeps you reading through cliff- hangers and page turning excitement? The book is as inspiring as it is a joy to read. As you read, you follow Ping's journey from submissive slave to confident keeper of dragons. Ping starts out in the book just a poor girl who is abused by her master and just continues on accepting her miserable fate. Then once she sees what paths her journey has taken her she realizes she is no longer a nobody, but one who should be proud enough to stand tall and know she is worth something in this world. I also think there is a great message that can be read through the subtext of this book, which is no matter where you come from we all have it in us to accomplish any task. This is a message we all can learn something from. This is a great book that will keep your interest and is deserving of a place on your shelf.

My nine year old daughter and I read this one together. It was beautifully picturesque, exciting, fast paced and had excellent moral messages. Ping's bravery was breathtaking and we grew to love her. The end was a wonderful surprise which left us feeling very proud of our new, young, literary friend and wondering what her future would bring. We have learned that there is now a sequel and we can't wait to get our hands on it. We thought this story would make a great "girl power" movie.

I was absolutly amazed on how well this book was written, considering that I hate reading. It really dragged me into it, I just couldn't put the book down. I think it is a great book for all ages and should belong in anyone's book collection, even if you don't have one. Even though it seems like just a plain childrens book, it's really worth while reading. Hope you enjoy this book and treasure it always.:)

The Dragon Keeper is a really good book. I hope there will be a part 2 of the book. I really liked it because it had alot of suspense to it, and I also liked the characters because they felt like they could be real. Its a very good story and anyone my age who likes to read would love it.

The year is 141 B.C. and a young girl with no name works as a slave at the desolate Huangling Place located on the edge of the Han Empire in China. The young girl serves a cruel master named Lan who is the Imperial Dragon Keeper. Master Lan's job is to feed and take care of the Emperor's imperial dragons, but he is lazy and makes the girl do his job instead. The slave is afraid of the two strange creatures that live in the dark pit, but puts aside her fears and tends to the dragons each day. Then one day, one of the dragons dies. The girl feels guilty because the day before she had eaten a bowl of fresh food with her pet rat Hua that was meant for the dragons. She is then horrified when Master Lan decides to get rid of the dead dragon by pickling it. The girl knows that the pickling of an imperial dragon would mean death if the absent Emperor ever found out. A couple of weeks pass, and while searching the Palace, the girl is greeted with the unexpected visit of the Emperor and his court. She accidentally ends up secretly watching an imperial banquet and overhears the Emperor making a deal with a greedy dragon hunter named Diao. She witnesses the Emperor and his wife unknowingly taste some of the dragon pickle. The girl reveals herself and tells the stunned court the horrible truth. She rescues the remaining imperial dragon and, along with Hua, is taken on a journey as the elderly dragon flies them away from the Palace. The girl discovers that the dragon is named Long Danzi and that her own name is Ping. Ping joins the wise Danzi on a quest that will introduce her to a magical and dangerous world far greater than she has ever known. The only question is whether of not they will survive and complete their quest before it's too late. DRAGON KEEPER is a unique and wondrous adventure that intermediate readers will want to continue and that will leave them believing in themselves. [...]