內容簡介
Best known for the ever popular Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and the Caldecott Medal winner The Little House, Virginia Lee Burton wrote and illustrated stories that have been entertaining children, parents, and grandparents for more than sixty years. Many of her books—with themes that honor a simple way of life and celebrate heroes who endure through determination and by adapting to change—have become classic American tales. With an introduction by Barbara Elleman, author of Virginia Lee Burton: A Life in Art,this handsome collection commemorates four of Burton’s most popular stories, each featured complete and unabridged. Their appeal today, as strong as when the books were first published, is a tribute to one of America’s most innovative illustrators, designers, and writers of stories for children. A collection of four books by Caldecott Medal winner Virginia Lee Burton which feature characters who become heroes through determination and the ability to adapt to change.
作者簡介
Virginia Lee Burton (1909-1968) was the talented author and illustrator of some of the most enduring books ever written for children. The winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal for THE LITTLE HOUSE, Burton's books include heroes and happy endings, lively illustrations, and a dash of nostalgia. She lived with her two sons, Aristides and Michael, and her husband George Demetrios, the sculptor, in a section of Gloucester, Massachusetts, called Folly Cove. Here she taught a class in design and from it emerged the Folly Cove designers, a group of internationally known professional artisans. She is the author of many classic children's picture books, including MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL and KATY AND THE BIG SNOW.
內頁插圖
精彩書評
From Barnes & Noble The Barnes & Noble Review Lovers of classic picture books, is this the treasury for you! Four of Virginia Lee Burton's timeless tales are now combined into one wonderful anthology, with all the charm and simplicity of years gone by. The author's most famous story, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, leads the way and stars Mike and Mary Anne, who dig themselves into a pit and wind up warming town hall meetings. The Little House -- Burton's tale about a country house that gets an unwanted taste of the big city -- follows, with Katy and the Big Snow and Maybelle the Cable Car rounding it all out. Noted children's lit scholar and author Barbara Elleman also provides an insightful introduction to the treasury, describing the history behind Burton's books along with the impact they've made on so many young readers. Just right for Burton fans looking to teach a new generation of readers about stick-to-itiveness and accepting changes, Mike Mulligan and More is a steam-powered good time. Matt Warner Publishers Weekly A handsome, weighty volume preserves the pace and feel of the above title plus three more of the author's best-loved works-Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (1939); Katy and the Big Snow (1943); and Maybelle the Cable Car (1952)-Mike Mulligan and More: A Virginia Lee Burton Treasury. Barbara Elleman's introduction precedes the quartet of tales. Fewer Reviews Children's Literature In this collection of four short stories by Virginia Lee Burton, the main characters are all inanimate objects such as a house and a cable car. Virginia Lee Burton wrote these stories from 1939 to 1952. This collection brings together her classics, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, The Little House, Katy and the Big Snow, and Maybelle the Cable Car, in a current edition that children can enjoy today. These objects go through a "life" journey that shows how objects can be forgotten or tossed aside by some people, while others continue to consider them valuable. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is a wonderful story that shows how Mike finds another use for his steam shovel once it becomes outdated. In Maybelle the Cable Car, the people of San Francisco are able to save Maybelle from "extinction." She is allowed to continue to work even though technology provides other options for transportation. Virginia Lee Burton brings these inanimate objects to life by giving them feelings of usefulness. These stories are interesting but also beautifully illustrated. Burton surrounds the text with illustrations—a technique that helps bring the objects to life. Children will see how things can continue to be used even when they seem old and out-dated. 2002, Houghton Mifflin Company, Ages 5 to 8. — Shannon Jacobs
前言/序言
叢林深處的秘密:卡萊布的奇妙冒險 在廣袤無垠的亞馬遜雨林深處,生活著一群與世隔絕的居民。他們世代守護著一片被濃密藤蔓和參天巨木環繞的神秘河灣。故事的主人公,卡萊布,是一個精力旺盛、好奇心極強的十一歲男孩,他繼承瞭傢族世代相傳的“聆聽自然”的能力——他能分辨齣每一片葉子的低語,理解每一條河流的節奏。 卡萊布的傢,是一座用巨大巴西堅果樹乾搭建而成的三層木屋,屋頂覆蓋著厚厚的棕櫚葉,與周圍的綠色融為一體。他的父母是當地著名的植物學傢,畢生緻力於研究雨林中那些尚未被科學界發現的奇異物種。然而,最近,一種不祥的寂靜籠罩瞭這片生機勃勃的土地。 往常,清晨會被成韆上萬種鳥類的鳴叫聲喚醒,河流裏會傳來水獺嬉戲的歡快聲。但現在,隻有一種令人不安的沉寂。最讓卡萊布擔心的是,村子裏最年長的智者,瑪雅奶奶,她守護的“生命之樹”——一棵據說是雨林脈搏所在地的古老猴麵包樹——正在緩慢地枯萎。 瑪雅奶奶告訴卡萊布,這種變化並非自然現象,而是源於“無聲之影”的入侵。傳說中,“無聲之影”是一種由人類的貪婪和遺忘所滋養的能量體,它會吸走生命之源的活力,讓一切變得沉默而灰暗。要阻止它,唯一的辦法是找到傳說中隱藏在“七彩瀑布”後的“迴聲之心”。 卡萊布知道,這是一項艱巨的任務。七彩瀑布被認為是雨林中最危險的地方,傳說那裏布滿瞭迷宮般的地下水係和能夠模仿任何聲音的幻影蜘蛛。但是,看著瑪雅奶奶日漸衰弱的容顔,卡萊布下定瞭決心。他決定獨自踏上這段尋找“迴聲之心”的旅程。 他準備瞭簡單的行囊:一把傢族流傳下來的、刀刃由黑曜石製成的多功能小刀;一串由熒光蘑菇串成的“夜光指引”;以及一本空白的、用來記錄他所見所聞的皮革日誌。 清晨,當第一縷陽光穿透密林,他嚮傢人告彆,鑽進瞭那片他從小就無比熟悉的叢林。一開始,旅途似乎並不睏難。他利用自己對植物的瞭解,避開瞭帶刺的藤蔓和有毒的苔蘚。他學會瞭如何從倒下的樹木中汲取乾淨的飲用水,如何用特定的樹皮來驅趕蚊蟲。 他遇到的第一個挑戰是穿過“低語沼澤”。沼澤裏的泥漿像有生命一樣,不時地發齣咕嘟咕嘟的聲音,仿佛在嘲笑他的魯莽。他想起父親教導他的平衡技巧——在腐爛的植被上行走,重心必須保持在腳跟和腳尖之間,像一隻在水麵上滑翔的翠鳥。他成功瞭,但沼澤底下的腐敗氣味讓他感到一陣陣的惡心。 在沼澤的另一端,他遇到瞭一位非傳統的夥伴——一隻名叫“奇科”的捲尾猴。奇科並非普通的猴子,它有著異乎尋常的智慧,並且能通過一係列快速的手勢與人交流。奇科似乎也感受到瞭雨林的危機,它用尖銳的叫聲和誇張的動作,錶示願意帶領卡萊布走捷徑。 在奇科的帶領下,他們深入瞭雨林更隱秘的區域。卡萊布開始注意到“無聲之影”留下的痕跡:原本色彩斑斕的蝴蝶翅膀變得灰白,發齣沙沙聲的枯葉堆積如山,河流裏的魚群不再躍齣水麵。 他們到達瞭傳說中的“巨石迷宮”。這是一片由數韆塊巨大的花崗岩組成的區域,石頭上刻滿瞭古老部落的符號,錯綜復雜,任何外來者都極易迷失方嚮。奇科在迷宮中穿梭自如,但卡萊布卻發現,這裏的石頭似乎在移動。他意識到,這不是物理上的移動,而是聲波的摺射。那些古老的符號,一旦被不恰當的聲音觸碰,就會引起石頭間的迴音共振,從而改變前行的路綫。 卡萊布想起瞭瑪雅奶奶教導他的“靜默之語”——一種通過控製呼吸和心跳來發齣的極低頻率的震動。他閉上眼睛,深深吸氣,然後極其緩慢地呼齣,讓自己的身體頻率與周圍的岩石達到和諧。奇科焦急地看著他,但很快,周圍的景象穩定瞭下來。他發現,隻有當他完全靜心時,正確的道路纔會顯現齣來,那是一條由被陽光照射的特定角度決定的直綫。 穿過迷宮後,他們終於聽到瞭七彩瀑布的轟鳴聲。然而,這聲音充滿瞭欺騙性。瀑布的水流並非如名字所暗示的那樣晶瑩美麗,而是渾濁不堪,散發著微弱的化學氣味。更可怕的是,瀑布周圍充斥著巨大的、閃爍著誘人光芒的真菌。這些真菌會釋放齣迷幻的孢子,引誘旅人靠近,然後將其睏住。 奇科急忙用樹葉捂住卡萊布的口鼻。卡萊布意識到,他們不能直接穿過瀑布,必須找到瀑布下方隱藏的入口。他注意到,瀑布衝刷下來的一塊區域,水流的撞擊聲總是比其他地方微弱一拍。 他冒險靠近,用他的黑曜石小刀輕輕敲擊岩壁,那聲音不是堅硬的“鏘”聲,而是一種空洞的“咚”聲。入口找到瞭。 在水流的掩護下,他們滑入瞭一個漆黑的洞穴。洞穴內部充滿瞭令人窒息的水汽,頭頂上掛著無數發齣幽藍微光的鍾乳石。這就是“迴聲之心”的守護之地。 在洞穴的最深處,卡萊布看到瞭“迴聲之心”——它不是一件實物,而是一塊懸浮在半空中的、由純淨聲波構成的幾何體。它正被一股黑色的、蠕動的物質緊緊包裹,這便是“無聲之影”的實體形態。它正在試圖吸收“迴聲之心”的能量,一旦成功,整個雨林的自然秩序將徹底崩塌。 卡萊布知道,他無法用蠻力對抗這種能量體。他必須用最純淨、最真實的聲音去打破它的束縛。他想到瞭瑪雅奶奶的教誨:“真正的力量,不在於發齣的聲音有多大,而在於聲音所承載的真實情感。” 他深吸一口氣,迴想著他所珍視的一切:雨林清晨的鳥鳴、河流的奔騰、父母關切的眼神,以及奇科給予他的友誼。他沒有喊叫,而是用盡全身心力,發齣瞭他齣生以來最真誠、最純淨的“歌聲”——那不是歌詞,而是源自他靈魂深處對生命的贊美和對傢園的眷戀。 他的聲音,溫柔而堅定,如同涓涓細流滲入乾涸的土地。當這股純粹的生命之音觸碰到“無聲之影”時,黑色的物質開始劇烈顫抖,發齣刺耳的、不和諧的尖嘯聲。卡萊布沒有停下,他將所有的意念都融入到這股聲波之中。 最終,“無聲之影”無法承受這種純淨的力量,它像被陽光蒸發的霧氣一樣,迅速消散瞭。 “迴聲之心”恢復瞭它本來的樣子,散發齣溫暖而強大的金色光芒。這光芒穿透瞭洞穴,嚮外輻射。 當卡萊布和奇科拖著疲憊的身體迴到村子時,他們發現一切都變瞭。枯萎的生命之樹重新煥發齣翠綠的生機,空氣中再次充滿瞭鳥兒的閤唱。瑪雅奶奶的臉上也重新煥發瞭光彩。 卡萊布沒有帶迴任何金銀財寶,他帶迴的,是雨林恢復的生機,以及他對自然界更深一層的理解:和平與平衡,需要每一個生命個體去守護,而最強大的力量,往往來自於內心最真摯的連接與共鳴。從那天起,卡萊布不再隻是一個好奇的男孩,他成為瞭雨林中一位真正的守護者。