Ryan and Alex, Chinese-Canadian brothers whose parents died in a mysterious fire, visit Hong Kong during the year of the golden dragon, and discover they have a mystical connection with a girl whose mother has magical healing powers.

Dominic the dragon befriends a boy named Bo as well as the other eleven animals of the Chinese lunar calendar and helps them enter the annual village boat race. Lists the birth years and characteristics of individuals born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon.

Hong Mei and her single mother have had to move from town to town in modern China – as soon as townsfolk get suspicious that her mother’s magical healing powers are, in fact, truly magical, they move on, usually in the middle of the night. But Hong Mei has started getting emails from someone named Madam Ching, who claims to have information on her long-missing father. Ryan and Alex are Chinese-Canadian brothers who have lived with their aunt and uncle since their parents died in a mysterious fire. They are just going to visit relatives in Hong Kong as far as they know, just as the New Year’s celebrations begin for the Chinese Year of the Golden Dragon. What they are about to discover, as they magically connect with Hong Mei, is that there is a link between the fire that killed their parents and Madam Ching, between the ancient jade pendants they all wear and the Chinese myth of the Black Dragon. And why all these strange things start happening on the eve of the Year of the Golden Dragon. East and West, ancient and modern, the mystical and practical, all collide as the trio races against time from Hong Kong to Beijing and finally to the famous Imperial tomb of Xian, where they meet their fate and discover what they are truly made of.

Alexander Cold, his grandmother Kate, and his closest friend Nadia return in the follow-up to City of the Beasts on a new quest to find the fabled Golden Dragon of the Himalayas, another fantastical voyage of suspense, magic, and awe-inspiring adventure from internationally celebrated novelist Isabel Allende. Not many months have passed since teenager Alexander Cold followed his bold grandmother into the heart of the Amazon to uncover its legendary Beast. This time, reporter Kate Cold escorts her grandson and his closest friend, Nadia, along with the photographers from International Geographic, on a journey to another location far from home. Entering a forbidden sovereignty tucked in the frosty peaks of the Himalayas, the team's task is to locate a sacred statue and priceless oracle that can foretell the future of the kingdom, known as the Golden Dragon. In their scramble to reach the statue, Alexander and Nadia must use the transcendent power of their totemic animal spirits—Jaguar and Eagle. With the aid of a sage Buddhist monk, his young royal disciple, and a fierce tribe of Yeti warriors, Alexander and Nadia fight to protect the holy rule of the Golden Dragon—before it can be destroyed by the greed of an outsider.

Through the ages, the dragon has been an important symbol for the Chinese. A time of Golden Dragons is the most auspicious possible. In fascinating text and beautiful paintings, Song Nan and Hao Yu Zhang trace the dragon’s history. Perhaps inspired by giant crocodiles, the image of the dragon affects every aspect of life in China, including the marking of dragon years, the flying of dragon kites, and the eating of dragon cakes at dragon boat races. A splendid introduction to the richness of Chinese culture, this is a book to cherish this special year and for years to come.

This book addresses the impact of intermarriage between Chinese immigrants and the natives, specifically the intermingling of blood and the offspring from such unions, and the influence they wielded on the society and environment they chose to live in. It also covers how some rose to high positions and their contributions to their societies, and how some openly declared their pride in their ancestry, while others have forgotten their heritage and have dissociated themselves.

In China, the image of the five-toed golden dragon appears everywhere--in all celebrations and major feasts, on banners, ships, roof gables, embroidered on silk and glazed onto ceramics. Through legends and lush images, take a unique foray into the dragon-laden landscape of Chinese culture. Not only does this collection feature classic folktales, it also uncovers some new dragon lore from the far-flung corners of the empire. Illustrations compare the Chinese dragon with Asian creatures, such as the Japanese Netsuke unicorn, and reveal various facts of the dragon's personality. Delve into the astrology, where the dragon is unique in being the one animal in the zodiac credited with supernatural powers. Find out why being born in the dragon's year is particularly lucky and what qualities--from flamboyance and charisma to a strong temper and laziness--are associated with the sign. This will stir the imagination of readers everywhere.