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適讀人群 :4歲及以上 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.
內容簡介
Mr. Rabbit helps a little girl find a lovely present for her mother, who is especially fond of red, yellow, green, and blue.
作者簡介
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.
內頁插圖
精彩書評
"An outstanding book [that] can be read by first-graders." --SLJ.
前言/序言
森林深處的秘密:小狐狸的探險之旅 在這個寜靜的橡樹林深處,陽光斑駁地穿過茂密的枝葉,灑在一片柔軟的苔蘚地上。這裏生活著一群性格迥異的小動物,他們日復一日地遵循著大自然的節奏,享受著簡單的快樂。故事的主角是一隻名叫菲恩(Finn)的小狐狸,他有著一雙總是閃爍著好奇光芒的大眼睛,和一條蓬鬆得像雲朵一樣的尾巴。 菲恩不像他那務實穩重的兄弟姐妹們,他對於那些關於“必須遵守的規則”和“閤理的食物儲備”的教誨並不太上心。他的心思總是飄嚮更遠的地方——那些在地圖上用模糊的鉛筆綫標記齣來的、傳說中從未有人踏足的“低語山榖”和“閃光溪”。 這一年的鞦天來得格外早,空氣中彌漫著成熟漿果的甜香和泥土的芬芳。森林裏的小動物們都忙著為漫長的鼕季做準備。鬆鼠們為他們的堅果藏匿點進行最後的加固;獾先生正在加深他的洞穴,確保它的保暖性;就連平時最愛打盹的貓頭鷹奧利弗,也比往常更加警醒,監督著一切活動的效率。 然而,菲恩的心思卻被一個奇怪的發現所占據。 一天清晨,當他像往常一樣在林間小路上探險時,他發現瞭一件不同尋常的東西——一塊顔色奇異的石頭。它不是森林裏常見的灰色或棕色,而是帶著一種深沉的、近乎午夜藍的色澤,錶麵光滑得像被水流衝刷瞭韆年。更奇特的是,當陽光以特定的角度照射在它上麵時,石頭內部似乎會閃爍起微弱的、仿佛是遙遠星光的光芒。 菲恩小心翼翼地撿起石頭,它摸起來冰涼而沉重,與周圍的一切都格格不入。他知道,任何新奇的發現都可能引起轟動,尤其是那些不符閤“標準森林物品”定義的物件。他決定將這個秘密保守起來,直到他完全弄清楚這是什麼。 接下來的幾天,菲恩將大部分時間都花在瞭研究這塊“藍星石”上。他帶著它去瞭森林裏最年長的智者——一隻名叫埃爾伯特(Elbert)的年邁烏龜那裏。埃爾伯特活瞭將近一百年,見證瞭數不清的季節更迭和秘密。 “埃爾伯特爺爺,”菲恩壓低聲音,將石頭放在布滿青苔的背殼邊緣,“您見過這個嗎?” 埃爾伯特花瞭好長的時間纔將他那雙渾濁的眼睛聚焦在這塊石頭上。他沒有立刻迴答,隻是用前爪輕輕觸碰瞭一下,然後長長地嘆瞭口氣。 “哦,孩子,”他的聲音像乾枯的樹葉摩擦,“這個……我隻在很久以前,我的曾祖父的記憶裏聽過。他們稱之為‘遠方的迴音’。” “遠方的迴音?”菲恩激動地問道。 “是的。傳說,這些石頭並非來自我們的森林。它們是從一個遙遠的地方滾落而下的,那裏充滿瞭比我們所能想象的更奇妙的事情。它們會引導那些心懷好奇的生物,去尋找它們真正屬於的地方。”埃爾伯特的聲音變得低沉而富有磁性,“但要找到‘遠方’,光有石頭是不夠的,你還需要‘方嚮’。” “方嚮?” “方嚮來自於‘低語’。隻有在森林最安靜、最純粹的時刻,你纔能聽見它們發齣的指引。現在,森林裏太吵瞭,大傢都在忙著過鼕,噪音太大。” 菲恩明白瞭,他不能在大傢忙碌的時候離開。他必須等待一個時機,一個能讓他安靜聆聽世界脈搏的時刻。 那個時機在幾周後到來瞭。一場突如其來的、輕柔的初雪覆蓋瞭整個森林。雪花不僅帶來瞭寜靜,還神奇地吸收瞭大部分聲音。地麵變得鬆軟而安靜,隻有雪粒輕輕落下時的沙沙聲。 菲恩帶著他的“藍星石”,來到瞭森林中央那棵巨大的、被閃電劈開的古老橡樹下。他盤腿坐下,閉上眼睛,將石頭緊緊握在手中。 起初,他隻聽見瞭自己平穩的呼吸聲和心髒的跳動。他努力放空思緒,等待埃爾伯特所說的“低語”。 漸漸地,一種極其微弱的、高頻的聲音開始滲透進來。它不是語言,而是一種鏇律,一種像遠方鍾聲又像風吹過水晶的音調。菲恩發現,當他將藍星石靠近耳朵時,這種鏇律就會變得清晰一些。 這鏇律似乎在引導他嚮西,穿過結冰的沼澤地,越過那道他一直不敢獨自翻越的“黑荊棘籬笆”。 下定決心後,菲恩沒有驚動任何人,他知道,這個探險對他來說太過重要,不容許任何旁人的懷疑或勸阻。他隻留下瞭一張用炭筆匆忙畫下的地圖草圖,放在瞭自己的床鋪上,上麵畫著一隻帶著好奇錶情的狐狸,指嚮西方的方嚮。 他的旅程充滿瞭挑戰。 首先是結冰的沼澤。菲恩不得不依靠他敏捷的身形和對地錶波動的細微感知,小心翼翼地在厚厚的冰層邊緣尋找被雪覆蓋的蘆葦根部作為支撐點。有一次,冰麵發齣可怕的“哢嚓”聲,他差點滑入冰冷的泥水中,幸好他及時用爪子扒住瞭岸邊的一小塊突齣的樹根,纔得以脫險。 穿過沼澤後,他麵對的是橫亙在麵前的“黑荊棘籬笆”。這道籬笆是許多年前,老獾先生為瞭保護他們的鼕季儲備,特意用最堅韌的灌木編織而成的天然屏障。它密不透風,布滿瞭尖銳的倒刺。 菲恩記得,老獾先生曾說過,荊棘會保護那些屬於它的人,但對於闖入者,它們隻會更緊地收攏。菲恩沒有試圖蠻力穿過。他沿著籬笆的邊緣走瞭整整一個下午,傾聽著藍星石的指引。最終,在西側一個被雪壓彎的低矮灌木叢下,他發現瞭一個被苔蘚掩蓋的小洞口——那是一個隻有幼小的鬆鼠纔勉強能鑽過去的空間,但對於菲恩來說,需要極大的耐心和柔韌性。 他側躺著,小心翼翼地側身,泥土蹭髒瞭他引以為傲的尾巴,荊棘颳破瞭他的耳朵,但他感到瞭那股“遠方的迴音”在洞的另一端變得更加強烈,像是催促他快點。 當他終於爬齣來時,他發現自己站在瞭一個完全陌生的環境中。 這裏不再是熟悉的橡樹林。空氣中帶著一種清新的、略微潮濕的氣味,植被也完全不同——高大、筆直的針葉樹直插雲霄,樹冠濃密得幾乎遮蔽瞭天空。地麵上覆蓋著厚厚的、鬆軟的褐色鬆針,踩上去幾乎聽不見聲音。 這就是傳說中的“低語山榖”的外圍。 菲恩感到一陣敬畏,但他同時也感到瞭從未有過的興奮。他握緊瞭藍星石,它此刻散發齣的微光比以往任何時候都要明亮,像是一盞為他照亮前路的微型燈籠。 他繼續嚮前走,每走一步,他都能感覺到,自己正在脫離“已知”,走嚮“未知”。他的冒險纔剛剛開始,而這塊神秘的石頭,正將他引嚮一個可能改變他對整個世界理解的終點。