Elephants and Golden Thrones:Inside China's Forbidden City: Inside China's Forbidden City - Tapa dura

For five hundred years, the Forbidden City was the seat of power of China's emperors. It is a vast and beautiful complex that housed the ruler and his thousand-person court. This rare look inside the walled city brings its colourful history to life for young readers. Twenty-four emperors made their home there, including K'ang Hsi, who road to his coronation with a procession of elephants and Empress Dowager Cixi, who felt the loss of a fingernail would symbolize the loss of power, so wore golden nail guards. These stories, coupled with new photographs, make this an unforgettable tour of a fascinating place.

Ellen B. Senisi is the author-photographer of numerous photo-essays for children, including Just Kids and Berry Smudges And Leaf Prints, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She lives in New York, USA. Trish Marx is the author of many award-winning non-fiction books, including Sharing Homeland, Jewish and Palestinian Children In The Middle East and Touching The Sky, Two True Stories About The Wright Brothers.