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适读人群 :4岁及以上 Any collaborative effort by the esteemed Charlotte Zolotow and the illustrious Maurice Sendak is bound to be a success. These beloved creators of countless children's favorites outdo themselves with this 1963 Caldecott Honor-winning classic about a little girl in need of assistance. Finding a birthday present for her mother is no easy task for our heroine. Luckily, she happens upon the avuncular Mr. Rabbit, whose heart is in the right place, even if he doesn't always have the best ideas. Ultimately, his suggestions do come in handy, and between the two of them they determine the ideal birthday tribute: the gift of color. Children will join the protagonists in contemplating how to make the abstract tangible, and all readers will be delighted to see yellow translate to bananas, as green is given in pears, and blue takes the shape of grapes.
内容简介
Mr. Rabbit helps a little girl find a lovely present for her mother, who is especially fond of red, yellow, green, and blue.
作者简介
Charlotte Zolotow is a revered name in children's literature. She is a prolific, much-honored author with over seventy titles published, including the classic Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present,illustrated by Maurice Sendak, and the groundbreaking William's Doll, illustrated by William Péne du Bois.
In addition, she has been a distinguished editor and publisher (she is now a HarperCollins Publisher Emerita), and by extension, an innovative educator. Her editorial career began under the brilliant Ursula Nordstrom, publisher of Harper Children's Books. The two shared a passionate belief: that children's books should be honest and faithful to the sometimes difficult but always intensely felt experiences of childhood. They were certain that children were capable of understanding the best work gifted artists and writers could give them.
Charlotte Zolotow was born in 1915 in Norfolk, Virginia, but grew up in several cities, including Detroit, New York, and Boston. She attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and shortly afterward returned to New York, where in 1938 she began working at HarperCollins, then Harper & Brothers.
She started as a secretary, but moved into an editorial career, working with Ursula Nordstrom. Their shared beliefs and the excitement of working with fine writers and artists brought to Harper generations of extraordinary authors and illustrators and gave Harper Children's Books their fresh, innovative quality. Talent was nurtured; books of lasting value were created, many still loved and read decades after they were first published. As Jean Mercier wrote in Publishers Weekly, Charlotte Zolotow would be among the Who's Who of any age, not only as the author of books of her own, but as a force majeure behind many children's books on the distinctive list of Harper.
Charlotte Zolotow has received numerous awards and honors, including the Regina Medal (2002) presented by the Catholic Library Association, the University of Minnesota's Irwin Kerlan Award (1986), the University of Southern Mississippi's Silver Medallion (1990), the Christopher Award (1974), and the Harper Gold Medal for Outstanding Editorial Achievement (1974). Of ongoing significance is the award established in 1998 in her name by the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The Charlotte Zolotow Award, presented annually by the University's Cooperative Center for Children's Books, is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year.
The 1991 resolution of gratitude given to Charlotte Zolotow by the American Library Association calls her contribution to children's literature far reaching. That reach extends far indeed. It begins with the many books she has written carry her vision into the hearts of children past, present, and future.
She has written more than seventy books for young children, many of which -- have become picture-book classics.
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精彩书评
"An outstanding book [that] can be read by first-graders." --SLJ.
前言/序言
森林深处的秘密:小狐狸的探险之旅 在这个宁静的橡树林深处,阳光斑驳地穿过茂密的枝叶,洒在一片柔软的苔藓地上。这里生活着一群性格迥异的小动物,他们日复一日地遵循着大自然的节奏,享受着简单的快乐。故事的主角是一只名叫菲恩(Finn)的小狐狸,他有着一双总是闪烁着好奇光芒的大眼睛,和一条蓬松得像云朵一样的尾巴。 菲恩不像他那务实稳重的兄弟姐妹们,他对于那些关于“必须遵守的规则”和“合理的食物储备”的教诲并不太上心。他的心思总是飘向更远的地方——那些在地图上用模糊的铅笔线标记出来的、传说中从未有人踏足的“低语山谷”和“闪光溪”。 这一年的秋天来得格外早,空气中弥漫着成熟浆果的甜香和泥土的芬芳。森林里的小动物们都忙着为漫长的冬季做准备。松鼠们为他们的坚果藏匿点进行最后的加固;獾先生正在加深他的洞穴,确保它的保暖性;就连平时最爱打盹的猫头鹰奥利弗,也比往常更加警醒,监督着一切活动的效率。 然而,菲恩的心思却被一个奇怪的发现所占据。 一天清晨,当他像往常一样在林间小路上探险时,他发现了一件不同寻常的东西——一块颜色奇异的石头。它不是森林里常见的灰色或棕色,而是带着一种深沉的、近乎午夜蓝的色泽,表面光滑得像被水流冲刷了千年。更奇特的是,当阳光以特定的角度照射在它上面时,石头内部似乎会闪烁起微弱的、仿佛是遥远星光的光芒。 菲恩小心翼翼地捡起石头,它摸起来冰凉而沉重,与周围的一切都格格不入。他知道,任何新奇的发现都可能引起轰动,尤其是那些不符合“标准森林物品”定义的物件。他决定将这个秘密保守起来,直到他完全弄清楚这是什么。 接下来的几天,菲恩将大部分时间都花在了研究这块“蓝星石”上。他带着它去了森林里最年长的智者——一只名叫埃尔伯特(Elbert)的年迈乌龟那里。埃尔伯特活了将近一百年,见证了数不清的季节更迭和秘密。 “埃尔伯特爷爷,”菲恩压低声音,将石头放在布满青苔的背壳边缘,“您见过这个吗?” 埃尔伯特花了好长的时间才将他那双浑浊的眼睛聚焦在这块石头上。他没有立刻回答,只是用前爪轻轻触碰了一下,然后长长地叹了口气。 “哦,孩子,”他的声音像干枯的树叶摩擦,“这个……我只在很久以前,我的曾祖父的记忆里听过。他们称之为‘远方的回音’。” “远方的回音?”菲恩激动地问道。 “是的。传说,这些石头并非来自我们的森林。它们是从一个遥远的地方滚落而下的,那里充满了比我们所能想象的更奇妙的事情。它们会引导那些心怀好奇的生物,去寻找它们真正属于的地方。”埃尔伯特的声音变得低沉而富有磁性,“但要找到‘远方’,光有石头是不够的,你还需要‘方向’。” “方向?” “方向来自于‘低语’。只有在森林最安静、最纯粹的时刻,你才能听见它们发出的指引。现在,森林里太吵了,大家都在忙着过冬,噪音太大。” 菲恩明白了,他不能在大家忙碌的时候离开。他必须等待一个时机,一个能让他安静聆听世界脉搏的时刻。 那个时机在几周后到来了。一场突如其来的、轻柔的初雪覆盖了整个森林。雪花不仅带来了宁静,还神奇地吸收了大部分声音。地面变得松软而安静,只有雪粒轻轻落下时的沙沙声。 菲恩带着他的“蓝星石”,来到了森林中央那棵巨大的、被闪电劈开的古老橡树下。他盘腿坐下,闭上眼睛,将石头紧紧握在手中。 起初,他只听见了自己平稳的呼吸声和心脏的跳动。他努力放空思绪,等待埃尔伯特所说的“低语”。 渐渐地,一种极其微弱的、高频的声音开始渗透进来。它不是语言,而是一种旋律,一种像远方钟声又像风吹过水晶的音调。菲恩发现,当他将蓝星石靠近耳朵时,这种旋律就会变得清晰一些。 这旋律似乎在引导他向西,穿过结冰的沼泽地,越过那道他一直不敢独自翻越的“黑荆棘篱笆”。 下定决心后,菲恩没有惊动任何人,他知道,这个探险对他来说太过重要,不容许任何旁人的怀疑或劝阻。他只留下了一张用炭笔匆忙画下的地图草图,放在了自己的床铺上,上面画着一只带着好奇表情的狐狸,指向西方的方向。 他的旅程充满了挑战。 首先是结冰的沼泽。菲恩不得不依靠他敏捷的身形和对地表波动的细微感知,小心翼翼地在厚厚的冰层边缘寻找被雪覆盖的芦苇根部作为支撑点。有一次,冰面发出可怕的“咔嚓”声,他差点滑入冰冷的泥水中,幸好他及时用爪子扒住了岸边的一小块突出的树根,才得以脱险。 穿过沼泽后,他面对的是横亘在面前的“黑荆棘篱笆”。这道篱笆是许多年前,老獾先生为了保护他们的冬季储备,特意用最坚韧的灌木编织而成的天然屏障。它密不透风,布满了尖锐的倒刺。 菲恩记得,老獾先生曾说过,荆棘会保护那些属于它的人,但对于闯入者,它们只会更紧地收拢。菲恩没有试图蛮力穿过。他沿着篱笆的边缘走了整整一个下午,倾听着蓝星石的指引。最终,在西侧一个被雪压弯的低矮灌木丛下,他发现了一个被苔藓掩盖的小洞口——那是一个只有幼小的松鼠才勉强能钻过去的空间,但对于菲恩来说,需要极大的耐心和柔韧性。 他侧躺着,小心翼翼地侧身,泥土蹭脏了他引以为傲的尾巴,荆棘刮破了他的耳朵,但他感到了那股“远方的回音”在洞的另一端变得更加强烈,像是催促他快点。 当他终于爬出来时,他发现自己站在了一个完全陌生的环境中。 这里不再是熟悉的橡树林。空气中带着一种清新的、略微潮湿的气味,植被也完全不同——高大、笔直的针叶树直插云霄,树冠浓密得几乎遮蔽了天空。地面上覆盖着厚厚的、松软的褐色松针,踩上去几乎听不见声音。 这就是传说中的“低语山谷”的外围。 菲恩感到一阵敬畏,但他同时也感到了从未有过的兴奋。他握紧了蓝星石,它此刻散发出的微光比以往任何时候都要明亮,像是一盏为他照亮前路的微型灯笼。 他继续向前走,每走一步,他都能感觉到,自己正在脱离“已知”,走向“未知”。他的冒险才刚刚开始,而这块神秘的石头,正将他引向一个可能改变他对整个世界理解的终点。