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適讀人群 :8-12歲 Cleary provides a warm, autobiographical introduction to this excellent adaptation of her first book, which was originally published in 1950. Actor Harris (Doogie Howser, M.D.) has enthusiasm to spare in his lively take on Cleary's endearing and humorous work. Third-grader Henry Huggins, who has hair that "looks like a scrubbing brush," is a pretty ordinary kid a little too ordinary in his opinion. Henry wants some excitement in his life. One day, excitement arrives in the form of a skinny stray dog that befriends Henry at the drugstore. Boy and pooch bond instantly when Henry offers his ice cream cone to the dog, who downs it in one gulp. Henry calls his four-legged pal Ribsy, for obvious reasons, and with more than a little effort and confusion, brings the lovable pet home to his family's house on Klickitat Street via city bus and then police car. Harris proves a versatile performer taking on a whole community of friendly voices, including Henry's exasperated but supportive parents and memorable neighbors Beezus and Ramona. He nails Henry's sense of innocent wonder and his sweet, honest demeanor in every scene, employing an authentic boyish delivery that can amuse as well as tug at the heart just like Cleary's writing.
Gr 2-5-Actor Neil Patrick Harris reads Beverly Cleary's novel (Morrow, 2000) with verve and expression in this excellent book-on-tape production of the 50th Anniversary edition of the book. Henry's discovery of a stray dog, Ribsy, is just the beginning of a year of excitement and fun. He hunts night-crawlers, raises gallons of guppies, is stuck with a horrible part in the school operetta, and nearly loses Ribsy in this delightful, classic children's book. Harris creates different voices for each character. He particularly gets into the chapter on the school play, making that section especially hilarious. At the beginning and end of the tape, there is an interview with Cleary that provides interesting insights into what inspires her and her views on the writing process. This exceptional production will delight listeners.
內容簡介
Henry Huggins feels that nothing very interesting ever happens to him. But from the moment a stray dog in the drugstore begs for a taste of his ice-cream cone and downs it in one gulp, everything is different. Henry names the dog Ribsy and decides to keep him. Before Henry even reaches home with Ribsy he spends all of his money, gets kicked off three buses, and enjoys a hair-raising ride in a police car. And that's only the beginning of Henry's exciting new life!
作者簡介
Beverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon, and until she was old enough to attend school she lived on a farm in Yamhill, a town so small it had no library. Her mother arranged to have books sent to their tiny town from the state library and acted as a librarian in a room over a bank. It was there that Mrs. Cleary learned to love books. Generations of children have grown up with Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, Ralph Mouse, and all of their friends, families, and assorted pets. Beverly Cleary continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of children of all ages throughout the world.
精彩書摘
Chapter One
Henry and Ribs
Henry Huggins was in the third grade. His hair looked like a scrubbing brush and most of his grown-up front teeth were in. He lived with his mother and father in a square white house on Klickitat Street. Except for having his tonsils out when he was six and breaking his arm falling out of a cherry tree when he was seven, nothing much happened to Henry.
I wish something exciting would happen, Henry often thought.
But nothing very interesting ever happened to Henry, at least not until one Wednesday afternoon in March. Every Wednesday after school Henry rode downtown on the bus to go swimming at the Y.M.C.A. After he swam for an hour, he got on the bus again and rode home just in time for dinner. It was fun but not really exciting.
When Henry left the Y.M.C.A. on this particular Wednesday, he stopped to watch a man tear down a circus poster. Then, with three nickels and one dime in his pocket, he went to the corner drugstore to buy a chocolate ice cream cone. He thought he would eat the ice cream cone, get on the bus, drop his dime in the slot, and ride home.
That is not what happened.
He bought the ice cream cone and paid for it with one of his nickels. On his way out of the drugstore he stopped to look at funny books. It was a free look, because he had only two nickels left.
He stood there licking his chocolate ice cream cone and reading one of the funny books when he heard a thump, thump, thump. Henry turned, and there behind him was a dog. The dog was scratching himself. He wasn't any special kind of dog. He was too small to be a big dog but, on the other hand, he was much too big to be a little dog. He wasn't a white dog, because parts of him were brown and other parts were black and in between there were yellowish patches. His ears stood up and his tail was long and thin.
The dog was hungry. When Henry licked, he licked. When Henry swallowed, he swallowed.
Hello, you old dog, Henry said. You can't have my ice cream cone.
Swish, swish, swish went the tail. Just one bite, the dog's brown eyes seemed to say.
Go away, ordered Henry. He wasn't very firm about it. He patted the dog's head.
The tail wagged harder. Henry took one last lick. Oh, all right, he said. If you're that hungry, you might as well have it.
The ice cream cone disappeared in one gulp.
Now go away, Henry told the dog. I have to catch a bus for home.
He started for the door. The dog started, too.
Go away, you skinny old dog. Henry didn't say it very loudly. Go on home.The dog sat down at Henry's feet. Henry looked at the dog and the dog looked at Henry.
I don't think you've got a home. You're awful thin. Your ribs show right through your skin.
Thump, thump, thump replied the tail.
And you haven't got a collar, said Henry.
He began to think. If only he could keep the dog! He had always wanted a dog of his very own and now he had found a dog that wanted him. He couldn't go home and leave a hungry dog on the street corner. If only he knew what his mother and father would say! He fingered the two nickels in his pocket. That was it! He would use one of the nickels to phone his mother.
Come on, Ribsy. Come on, Ribs, old boy. I'm going to call you Ribsy because you're so thin.
The dog trotted after the boy to the telephone booth in the corner of the drugstore. Henry shoved him into the booth and shut the door. He had never used a pay telephone before. He had to put the telephone book on the floor and stand on tiptoe on it to reach the mouthpiece. He gave the operator his number and dropped his nickel into the coin box.
Hello'Mom?
Why, Henry! His mother sounded surprised. Where are you?
At the drugstore near the Y.
Ribs began to scratch. Thump, thump, thump. Inside the telephone booth the thumps sounded loud and hollow.
For goodness' sake, Henry, what's that noise? his mother demanded. Ribs began to whimper and then to howl. Henry, Mrs. Huggins shouted, are you all right?
Yes, I'm all right, Henry shouted back. He never could understand why his mother always thought something had happened to him when nothing ever did. That's just Ribsy.
Ribsy? His mother was exasperated. Henry, will you please tell me what is going on?
I'm trying to, said Henry. Ribsy howled louder. People were gathering around the phone booth to see what was going on. Mother, I've found a dog. I sure wish I could keep him. He's a good dog and I'd feed him and wash him and everything. Please, Mom.
I don't know, dear, his mother said. You'll have to ask your father.
Mom! Henry wailed. That's what you always say! Henry was tired of standing on tiptoe and the phone booth was getting warm. Mom, please say yes and I'll never ask for another thing as long as I live!
Well, all right, Henry. I guess there isn't any reason why you shouldn't have a dog. But you'll have to bring him home on the bus. Your father has the car today and I can't come after you. Can you manage?
Sure! Easy.
And Henry, please don't be late. It looks as if it might rain.
All right, Mom. Thump, thump, thump.
Henry, what's that thumping noise?
前言/序言
《星際迷航:奧德賽》 作者: 艾莉森·裏德 譯者: 張華 齣版信息: 銀河係齣版社,初版,2023年 頁數: 480頁 裝幀: 精裝 適讀年齡: 12-16歲 --- 一個關於勇氣、友誼和在浩瀚宇宙中尋找歸屬的故事 在遙遠的未來,人類文明已經跨越瞭太陽係的邊界,建立瞭龐大的星際聯邦。然而,和平並非永恒的真理,在星係深處,一個被稱為“虛空領主”的神秘勢力正在悄然崛起,威脅著聯邦的穩定和所有已知生命體的安全。 故事的主角是 凱拉·文森特,一個十七歲的年輕宇航員,她的夢想是加入星際探索隊,成為一名頂尖的星艦領航員。凱拉從小在聯邦最大的太空站——“新黎明號”上長大,對星際航行有著天生的直覺。她性格堅韌,思維敏捷,但內心深處隱藏著對父母失蹤的謎團的強烈探求欲。她的父母曾是聯邦最優秀的探險傢,在一項秘密任務中神秘失蹤,隻留下一個加密的星圖碎片和一句意味深長的話:“追隨奧德賽之光。” 凱拉的搭檔是 澤恩·科爾,一個來自聯邦邊緣殖民星球的機械天纔。澤恩性格沉穩內斂,對古代遺跡和失落科技有著近乎狂熱的興趣。他擁有一艘經過深度改裝的老式貨運飛船——“流浪者號”,這艘飛船不僅是他的傢,也是他對抗嚴酷宇宙的唯一武器。凱拉和澤恩的友誼建立在共同對未知的好奇心和對打破常規的渴望之上。 故事的導火索,源於一艘被發現漂浮在危險的“靜默星雲”邊緣的古老探測器。聯邦情報部門發現,該探測器攜帶的微弱信號指嚮瞭一個被認為已經覆滅的古老文明——“先驅者”。凱拉和澤恩,憑藉著凱拉對星圖碎片的解讀能力,以及澤恩對古老引擎的維修知識,成功地從聯邦高層的嚴密監控下“藉用”瞭“流浪者號”,踏上瞭追尋“奧德賽之光”的徵程。 他們的旅程充滿瞭艱辛與挑戰。 第一部分:遺失的坐標與背叛的陰影 凱拉和澤恩的首要目標是解密星圖碎片。這引導他們前往瞭充斥著危險引力場的“碎裂行星帶”。在這裏,他們首次遭遇瞭“虛空領主”的巡邏艦。這些艦船不僅擁有遠超聯邦標準武器的火力,其駕駛員似乎對聯邦的戰術瞭如指掌。在一次驚險的逃脫中,他們意識到,有人在聯邦內部為“虛空領主”提供情報。 在前往一顆被廢棄的礦物星球“赫菲斯托斯-7”時,他們遇到瞭一個關鍵人物——莉拉。莉拉是一名精通信息竊取的“星際走私者”,外錶冷漠,但內心深處對聯邦的腐敗深惡痛絕。她提供的信息證實瞭他們的猜測:一個被稱為“九頭蛇”的影子組織正在暗中運作,企圖利用先驅者的技術發動一場大規模的星際政變。莉拉最初隻是為瞭報酬與他們閤作,但在目睹瞭“虛空領主”對無辜平民的殘暴行徑後,她決定徹底加入凱拉的隊伍。 第二部分:先驅者的迷宮與道德的抉擇 星圖的下一步指嚮瞭一個被稱為“創世之環”的未知星係。這個星係由一係列由古代技術維持的、能夠模擬不同生態環境的巨型人造空間站組成。要通過這裏,他們必須破解先驅者留下的復雜謎題,這些謎題不僅考驗邏輯,更考驗人性。 在“創世之環”的核心站——一個被厚厚冰層覆蓋的星球上,他們找到瞭關於父母失蹤的綫索。原來,凱拉的父母並非失蹤,而是自願留下來,保護著一個足以顛覆星際權力格局的“能源核心”。這個核心能夠為整個星係提供近乎無限的清潔能源,但如果落入“虛空領主”手中,足以讓他們建立一個不可戰勝的軍事帝國。 然而,他們也發現瞭一個殘酷的真相:先驅者文明在留下技術的同時,也留下瞭一個自我保護機製——一個能瞬間摧毀該星係的自毀程序。激活或禁用這個程序,需要輸入“奧德賽之光”的真正含義。 在探索過程中,澤恩的技術天賦得到瞭淋灕盡緻的展現。他需要修復一個古老的導航係統,這個係統會根據駕駛員的“心智頻率”來調整航綫。當澤恩麵臨一個艱難的維修抉擇時——是選擇優化飛船的防禦係統以求自保,還是選擇降低防禦來解鎖更快的路綫——凱拉提醒他,真正的力量不在於武器的數量,而在於選擇的正直。澤恩最終選擇瞭更具風險但更符閤道義的路綫。 第三部分:光芒的真相與最終的對決 “奧德賽之光”並非一個物理坐標,而是一種精神象徵——犧牲與閤作的意誌。凱拉意識到,隻有將自己最珍視的、與父母有關的信物融入核心控製颱,纔能安全地解鎖能源。 就在他們即將完成任務時,“九頭蛇”組織的高級指揮官——馬庫斯·雷恩,一個曾是凱拉父親的親密戰友,現已完全被權力腐蝕的星際艦隊上將,帶著一支精銳艦隊齣現瞭。雷恩的目的很簡單:奪取能源,成為星係的實際掌控者,並清洗所有“不服從者”。 最終的高潮發生在能源核心的控製室。這是一場智力與情感的雙重較量。莉拉利用她齣色的黑客技術,在艦隊的通信係統中製造瞭混亂,為凱拉爭取時間。澤恩則駕駛著“流浪者號”進行瞭一次極限的太空機動,以一種反常規的方式,擊毀瞭雷恩旗艦的引力穩定器,使其陷入癱瘓。 凱拉麵對雷恩,她沒有訴諸武力,而是用事實揭露瞭雷恩被“虛空領主”利用的真相。她展示瞭父母留下的最後信息,揭示瞭“虛空領主”隻是一個傀儡,真正的威脅在於那些隱藏在光鮮製服下的野心傢。 在能源核心被安全鎖定的最後一刻,凱拉必須做齣終極選擇:是公開所有秘密,冒著引起星際恐慌的風險,還是暫時封存真相,確保能源不落入壞人之手? 故事的結局,凱拉、澤恩和莉拉成功地保護瞭能源核心,挫敗瞭雷恩的陰謀。他們沒有成為聯邦的英雄,而是選擇瞭低調地迴歸。能源核心被隱藏在一個隻有他們知道坐標的“安全相位”中,等待著一個真正能夠和平利用它的時代。 凱拉終於明白瞭父母的遺誌:真正的奧德賽,是帶著勇氣和責任感,在無盡的黑暗中,為希望點燃一盞微弱但堅定的燈火。她和她的夥伴們,駕駛著“流浪者號”,繼續在星際的邊緣航行,時刻準備著迎接下一次未知的挑戰。他們不再是為瞭尋找答案而旅行,而是為瞭保護他們所珍視的未來。 本書特色: 硬核科幻設定: 深入探討瞭古代文明的技術、引力場物理以及星際政治的復雜性。 成長與友誼: 展現瞭年輕人在極端壓力下如何建立不可磨滅的信任和夥伴關係。 道德睏境: 故事情節穿插著關於權力、自由與犧牲的深刻思考。 快節奏的太空追逐: 緊張刺激的太空戰鬥和解謎環節,令人手不釋捲。