When China was first united some 2250 years ago, it was already a country rich in skills and tradition, where farmers grew rice in flooded fields, women wove beautiful silk cloth, and philosophers wrote important guides to life. China's imperial age of dynasties and emperors lasted to the 20th century. Here you will meet young people like Chao, a papermaker's son and Baozhai, a talented poet. Spend time with a hardworking student, a soldier stationed on the Great Wall, a silk maker's daughter and boys travelling the Silk Road. AGES: 7 plus AUTHOR: Mary Auld is an award-winning children's author, specialising in information books, from music and art to history and science. Auld is the pen name of Rachel Cooke, editorial director at Hachette Children's for many years. Steph Marshall is a freelance illustrator and printmaker based in Berkshire. She has a particular fascination with maps and her work is often inspired by travel. Working predominantly with digital media, she creates bright, bold and playful illustrations. SELLING POINTS: . See ancient China through the eyes of more than 25 young people as they set out in life . Makes it easier for modern readers to understand the past . Shows the lives of girls and women on every page providing an inclusive view of life in the ancient world . Ideal for home & school libraries