'The most captivating children’s book I’ve seen so far this year,' Amanda Craig, The Times Ping is a slave in a little-used royal palace on the edge of the Emperor’s kingdom. Her tyrannic master is a cruel drunk who neglects his duties as Imperial Dragonkeeper and under his watch the Emperor’s dragons have dwindled from a magnificent dozen to a miserable two. When one dragon dies, only the ancient and wise Long Danzi remains. His fate seems sealed – until Ping comes to his rescue in a moment of startling bravery that reveals her destiny as a Dragonkeeper. Pursued by the Emperor’s forces and an evil dragon hunter, Ping, Danzi, and a rat called Hua, set off on a remarkable journey across the kingdom. Bound for the Ocean, they carry a mesmerising, beautiful dragon stone that must be protected at any cost. Surviving dangers of all kinds – a shape-shifting necromancer, and a ritual sacrifice among them – the trio finally arrive at Ocean, Danzi’s final place of rest. But as her dragon-friend leaves Ping forever, the dragon stone reveals its spectacular secret...

"[Mindy Mejia] is simply a beautiful writer…" —Twin Cities Pioneer Press"Mejia beautifully tackles the subjects of animal captivity, endangered animals, human-animal connections, and even evolution." —Global Animal"This is a thriller of the rarest form—one that touches both the mind and the heart. A wonderful read." —Mary Logue, author of the Claire Watkins mysteries"…impressive…ambitious…Mindy Mejia is a talent to watch." —Sheila O'Connor, author of Where No Gods Came and Sparrow Road A zookeeper fights to save the animal she loves, even as her own life crumbles around her… Meg Yancy knows she may be overly attached to Jata, the Komodo dragon that has been in her care since it arrived at the zoo from Indonesia. Jata brings the exotic to Meg’s Minnesotan life: an ancient, predatory history and stories of escaping to freedom. A species that became endangered soon after being discovered, Komodos have a legacy of independence, something that Meg understands all too well. Meg has always been better able to relate to reptiles than to people, from her estranged father to her live-in boyfriend to the veterinarian who is more concerned with his career than with the animals’ lives. Then one day, Meg makes an amazing discovery. Jata has produced viable eggs—without ever having had a mate. Faced with this rare phenomenon, Meg must now defend Jata’s hatchlings from the scientific, religious, and media forces that converge on the zoo to claim the miracle as their own. Finally forced to deal with the very people she has avoided for so long, Meg discovers that opening herself up comes with its own complications. And as she fights to save the animal she loves from the consequences of its own miracle, she must learn to accept that in nature, as in life, not everything can be controlled. Mindy Mejia’s gripping debut novel highlights the perils of captivity and the astonishing ways in which animals evolve.

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.

In the time of the Han Dynasty in ancient China, a young orphan struggles to fulfill her destiny. Ping has survived her days as a slave at Huangling Palace, but new challenges await her in the desolate mountains of Tai Shan. The aged dragon Danzi is gone, and now it is up to Ping to take care of the baby dragon, Kai. She does her best, but food is scarce, and she must be constantly on the lookout for her enemies. Things seem to get better when fate leads her back to the Imperial Palace, to the Garden of the Purple Dragon. Yet even within these hallowed walls, Ping and Kai are not as safe as they believe. This story of adventure, action, friendship, and loyalty will have readers cheering for Ping and the young dragon as they embark on their journey of faith and courage.

Here be Dragons... Not the slavering, whimsical monsters from childhood fancies, but real Dragons—fierce, complex, wondrous, and wild. They do not require our belief; they never have. With hard science and myth, empirical wisdom, and original line drawings, The Dragon Keeper's Handbook is the draconic enchiridion for the modern world, providing everything you need to know about these extraordinary beings. From disparate theories of Dragon evolution and the golden geometry of their form to modern conservation efforts and how to release a well-weaned orphan back into the wild, this book answers all your questions, even those you didn't know to ask. From awe-inspiring Cosmic Creators to wee pisuhänds guarding hearth and home, discover the habits and habitats of Dragons and pseudo-dragons both familiar and rare. The Dragon Keeper's Handbook shows us how human and Dragon lives are bound together and why Dragons are now and ever-will-be relevant: In their wildness lie lessons for us all.

Goldwell's fantasy book series Dragon Keepers can be considered a prelude for young readers before reading the Harry Potter series. This dragon fantasy book series is imaginative and adventure-filled. Dragon Keepers is a dragon book series by Bruce Goldwell whose main character is Merlin the Wizard. It is written in third-person narrative. The narrative is about the fantasy life of Merlin which includes dragons, fairies, mermaids, unicorns, and other fantasy creatures popular in mythology around the world. While the story uses aspects of Arthurian legend, much of the story is based on fantasy characters and events made up by the author. "The author has a very wise intention for choosing the fantasy world, a fantasy genre illustrates a gateway to stories and imagination that is beyond the narrow convention of this known world. The series will certainly allow the readers to escape from the reality and get back to the world of mystery. Through the characters, readers often find crisis, inequality, pain, and loss, those issues are valid and challenging ones that we are confronted with in our real world, whether as individuals or socially. More importantly, using the fantasy world, the author tries to engage more connectivity with those issues and instruct how to avoid them in a realistic setting." - The Ritz Herald, Article April 2022 ** Dragon Keepers is a dragon fantasy book series for teens and adults. The series follows the life of Merlin the Magician. In Book I, Merlin turns 13 years old and is made an official dragon keeper, a position that requires him to learn how to control and care for dragons. The story includes a romance between Merlin and a young girl from the World of Dragons named Aeem. This fantasy book series is for kids 9-13, however, it can be enjoyed by teens of any age as well as adults.**

Perfect for readers who’ve finished Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series but who aren’t quite ready for Harry Potter, this accessible fantasy series is imaginative and adventure-filled! “Funny and wonderfully written. A tall-tale adventure that will grab readers!” —Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House series In The Dragon at the North Pole, Dragon Keepers Jesse and Daisy wake on Christmas morning to a winter wonderland—it snowed overnight! Knowing that their dragon, Emmy, has never seen snow before, they hurry to the barn only to discover that she’s disappeared. She’s left a note behind: “Gone to help Santa.” Santa?! Can it be true? With the help of two pairs of magic snowshoes, Jesse and Daisy visit the North Pole to find out!

Dragon keepers Jesse and Daisy need help! Emmy, their rapidly growing dragon, has become a real grouch, saying she's missing "something," and the cousins don't have a clue what that something is. Jesse and Daisy go online to ask Professor Andersson, their favorite dragon expert, for help and end up seeing him being kidnapped! The kidnapper is none other than Sadie Huffington, the girlfriend of their enemy, St. George the Dragon Slayer. She has hatched a wicked scheme to use the professor to both find St. George and capture Emmy. Now the dragon keepers and their dragon must storm Sadie's castle and rescue the professor from the witch and her pack of vicious dog-men! In this third fantasy book in the Dragon Keepers series, Kate Klimo introduces readers to a magical library filled with shelf elves and reveals the secrets of the gigantic red book that Jesse and Daisy discovered in The Dragon in the Sock Drawer. She keeps the action and adventure flying while bringing both heart and imagination to this tale of two kids and a dragon, growing up together. The Dragon Keepers series is perfect for kids who crave books about dragons and magic but are caught betwixt and between—too old for Magic Tree House and not yet ready for Eragon and the Inheritance cycle. Visit www.foundadragon.org.

The Dragon Keeper series bridges the gap between MTH and Eragon or Harry Potter. It is solidly middle grade, accessible, and adventure-filled. In The Dragon in the Volcano, Dragon Keepers Jesse and Daisy, follow their dragon, Emmy, into the Fiery Realms. Intrigue, danger, and lots of crazy characters make the reading fun, as well as the wonderful relationship between the dragon keeper cousins and their dragon.

Dont talk to ME about fair! When your memory and identity has stripped from you, what are you left with? The young Dragon Keeper Mataras wonders this very question nearly every day as he searches for the answers to a past that may never come to light. Even with his best friend by his side, and the God of all to look up to, he feels lost, alone, and bitter. But what begins as a disaster quickly becomes an adventure worthy of legend as Mataras and Delta Litrosh begin a journey to unveil a mystery as old as the Great Flood of Genesis. During their travels, they meet up with a group of other troubled youths, also seeking their place in the world, and decide to assist them in their endeavors. Together, they become a capable group of warriors capable of shaking the foundations of an entire fief. When push comes to shove and Mataras past comes to confront him, will this unstable child be able to take on the mantle of manhood? Will he be able to hear the Kings voice in the form of a mighty dragons roar?