I am indebted to all the historians, researchers and translators whose labour has enabled me to learn about ancient China. For a full bibliography of sources used, please see my website at www.carolewilkinson.com.au
Though some sources say that the Chinese puzzle qi qiao ban (Seven Cunning Pieces—known in English as Tangram) is ancient, while writing this novel I discovered that the current view is that it is not. I decided to use the puzzle in my story anyway. Texts of the Yi Jing have turned up in Han dynasty tombs, so maybe one day someone will find an ancient Tangram set.
I would like to thank Vicky Deresa for her invaluable help with the three place name puzzles and Danzi’s four-character message. I would also like to thank Haiwang Yuan for telling me the Chinese version of “out of the frying pan into the fire”.
Thank you to Andrew Kelly and Alison Arnold of black dog books once again for their wonderful editorial assistance, creative support and friendship. Thanks also to everyone else at black dog for reading drafts.
I’d also like to thank Blue Boat Design, especially Rob Davies, for another gorgeous cover, Julian Bruère for his meticulous maps, and William Lai for his beautiful calligraphy. There were some tight deadlines for this book, so I am particularly grateful to my husband John and my daughter Lili for putting up with more than usual angst as I wrote it.
Finally, I’d like to thank all those readers of the previous two books in the Dragonkeeper series who took the trouble to write to me. Their enthusiasm and encouragement have been inspiring.
The completed dragon’s head that Lady An makes from the Seven Cunning Pieces. To make the shape yourself or see how the puzzle was solved, visit: www.dragonkeeper.com.au
Carole Wilkinson’s Dragonkeeper series is loved by readers all over the world and books in the series have won both literary and children’s choice awards. Carole embarked on her writing career at the age of 40, happily leaving behind her previous employment as a laboratory technician in jobs involving blood and brains. She has been making up for lost time ever since. She has a fascination with dragons and is interested in the history of everything. Her books are a combination of meticulous research and imagination.
Carole’s website is carolewilkinson.com.au
First published in 2007 by
This edition published in 2012
by
an imprint of Walker Books Australia Pty Ltd
Locked Bag 22, Newtown
NSW 2042 Australia
www.walkerbooks.com.au
This ebook edition published in 2013
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Text © 2007 Carole Wilkinson
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the publisher.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Dragon moon / Carole Wilkinson.
3rd edition.
Series: Wilkinson, Carole, 1950– author. Dragonkeeper; bk. 3.
For secondary school age.
Subjects: Dragons – China – Juvenile fiction.
A823.3
ISBN: 978-1-742590-66-0 (ePub)
ISBN: 978-1-922244-12-3 (e-PDF)
ISBN: 978-1-922244-13-0 (.PRC)
Cover illustration © 2012 Sonia Kretschmar
Map by Julian Bruère
To Mum and Dad
with love
PRAISE FOR THE DRAGONKEEPER SERIES
“I was riveted by the magical adventures, beautifully told, of a nameless Chinese slave girl.”
KATHARINE ENGLAND, AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEW
“… entrancing, beautifully written story … a wonderfully satisfying and unexpected climax.”
ADELAIDE ADVERTISER
“An enchanting blend of fantasy and history.”
THE AGE
THE CHILDREN’S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, JUDGES’ REPORT
“… an ambitious novel, marrying ancient Chinese history and culture with magic and fantasy … the sights, smells and tastes of this fantastic ancient China are fully realised.”
AUSTRALIAN BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER
“… a superb novel …”
CANBERRA TIMES
“Enchanting and fascinating … something worth celebrating.”
KATE FEWSTER, VIEWPOINT
“… proof that the fantasy genre is still working its magic.”
JODIE MINUS, THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
THE DRAGONKEEPER SERIES
Dragonkeeper
Garden of the Purple Dragon
Dragon Moon
Blood Brothers
Dragon Dawn (prequel)
OTHER BOOKS BY CAROLE WILKINSON
The Dragon Companion
Ramose: Prince in Exile
Ramose and the Tomb Robbers
Ramose: Sting of the Scorpion
YOUNG ADULT
Sugar Sugar
Stagefright
PICTURE BOOK
The Night We Made the Flag
TRUE TALES SERIES
Ned Kelly’s Jerilderie Letter
THE DRUM SERIES
Black Snake
The Games
Alexander the Great
Fromelles: Australia’s Bloodiest Day at War
THE BEAT SERIES
Hatshepsut: The Lost Pharaoh of Egypt
Find out about Carole’s books on her website
www.carolewilkinson.com.au