The Last Dragon (novel) facts for kids
First American edition
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| Author | Silvana De Mari |
|---|---|
| Original title | L'ultimo elfo |
| Translator | Shaun Whiteside |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Salani |
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Publication date
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2004 |
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Published in English
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2006 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 368 pp (US edition) |
| ISBN | 1-4231-0405-6 |
The Last Dragon is an exciting fantasy novel for young readers. It was written by Silvana De Mari and first came out in Italy in 2004. Its original Italian title was L'ultimo elfo. The book tells a story set in a world after a big disaster. It follows the journey of the very last elf. He needs to find the last dragon. This quest is super important to help the world become new again.
The book was translated into English by Shaun Whiteside. It was published in the United States in 2006 by Miramax Books. In the United Kingdom, it was released with a different title: The Last Elf.
Contents
About the Author: Silvana De Mari
Silvana De Mari is the talented writer of The Last Dragon. She was born in 1953 in Caserta, Italy. Besides writing amazing stories, she is also a psychotherapist and a doctor. She lives in Turin with her family. For many years, she worked as a surgeon in both Italy and Ethiopia.
L'ultimo elfo was her third book for children. It was the first of her books to be translated into English. This popular story has also been translated into many other languages. These include French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
The Story: A Journey with the Last Elf
The story of The Last Dragon is told in two main parts. It takes readers on an adventure. You will find humor, sadness, and heartwarming moments. The book shows what happens when different ways of life meet.
Part One: Yorsh's Quest
The main character is a young elf named Yorsh. His full name is Yorshkrunsquarklejolnerstrink. He is the very last elf on Earth. A huge flood destroyed his village. Now, he lives in a dark and cold world. This world is full of people who don't like others who are different. Yorsh is often hungry, cold, and wet.
One day, he meets a hunter named Monser and a woman named Sajra. They are not sure about Yorsh at first. But they slowly become his friends. From them, Yorsh learns about an old prophecy. This prophecy says he is very important. He must save the world from this "Dark Age." To make the sun shine again, he needs to find another lonely creature. This creature is the last dragon. When Yorsh finally finds the dragon, he decides to stay with it. He wants to keep it company.
Part Two: Thirteen Years Later
The second part of the story happens thirteen years later. The old dragon dies, but it leaves Yorsh with an egg. Yorsh takes on the big job of raising the baby dragon. Over time, Yorsh starts to miss Monser and Sajra very much. He decides to go back to their old village. There, he finds their daughter, Robi. He learns that Monser and Sajra were sadly harmed for protecting him.
Feeling very sad, Yorsh decides he must protect young Robi. She is now an orphan too. The elf, the young dragon, and Robi decide to leave. They move to a new country. Together, they create new rules for their new world. These rules are simple but important. They say, "No one can hit anybody... And you can’t hang people, either."
More Adventures: The Sequels
The story of Yorsh continues in other books. The next book is L'ultimo orco, which means The Last Ogre. It was published in Italy in 2005. There are even more books in this series. These include Gli ultimi incantesimi (The Last Spells) from 2008. Another one is L'ultima profezia (The Last Prophecy) from 2010. So far, these sequel books have not been published in English.
Awards and Recognition
The Last Dragon has won several important awards. These awards show how much people loved the book.
- It won the Premio Andersen in 2004.
- It also received the Premio Bancarellino in 2005.
- The book earned a Kirkus Star, which is a special honor from Kirkus Reviews.
- It was nominated for the Mildred L. Batchelder Award in 2007. This award is for outstanding translated books for children.
- It was also nominated for the Maine Student Book Award in 2007.
- In 2011, it was nominated for the Nutmeg Children's Book Award.
