编辑推荐
适读人群 :9岁及以上 Moving from a Mexican ranch to the company labor camps of California, Ryan's lyrical novel manages the contradictory: a story of migration and movement deeply rooted in the earth. When 14-year-old Esperanza's father is killed, she and her mother must emigrate to the U.S., where a family of former ranch workers has helped them find jobs in the agricultural labor camps. Coming from such privilege, Esperanza is ill prepared for the hard work and difficult conditions she now faces. She quickly learns household chores, though, and when her mother falls ill, she works packing produce until she makes enough money to bring her beloved abuelita to the U.S.. Set during the Great Depression, the story weaves cultural, economic, and political unrest into Esperanza's poignant tale of growing up: she witnesses strikes, government sweeps, and deep injustice while finding strength and love in her family and romance with a childhood friend. The symbolism is heavy-handed, as when Esperanza ominously pricks her finger on a rose thorne just before her father is killed. But Ryan writes movingly in clear, poetic language that children will sink into, and the books offers excellent opportunities for discussion and curriculum support.
内容简介
Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, & servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life and her own depend on it.
作者简介
Born and raised in California's San Joaquin Valley, Pam Mu?oz Ryan comes from a background that is an ethnic mix of Spanish, Mexican, Basque, Italian, and Oklahoman. She has written books about Mexican migrant workers, the American Wild West, daring women, historic concerts, and mice and beans. "That's part of the enchantment of writing and creating characters—the variety," Ryan says. "I enjoy that there are many diverse parts to my job." Ryan is the author of more than 25 books for young readers, including the multi-award-winning Esperanza Rising, which has sold more than two million copies. When she's not traveling in the U.S. and abroad to promote her work, Ryan lives in north San Diego County near the Pacific Ocean with her husband. Her four grown children frequently come and go, and her two dogs, Buddy and Sammie, keep her company while she works.
精彩书评
Ryan uses the experiences of her own Mexican grandmother as the basis for this compelling story of immigration and assimilation, not only to a new country but also into a different social class. Esperanza's expectation that her 13th birthday will be celebrated with all the material pleasures and folk elements of her previous years is shattered when her father is murdered by bandits. His powerful stepbrothers then hold her mother as a social and economic hostage, wanting to force her remarriage to one of them, and go so far as to burn down the family home. Esperanza's mother then decides to join the cook and gardener and their son as they move to the United States and work in California's agricultural industry. They embark on a new way of life, away from the uncles, and Esperanza unwillingly enters a world where she is no longer a princess but a worker. Set against the multiethnic, labor-organizing era of the Depression, the story of Esperanza remaking herself is satisfyingly complete, including dire illness and a difficult romance. Except for the evil uncles, all of the characters are rounded, their motives genuine, with class issues honestly portrayed. Easy to booktalk, useful in classroom discussions, and accessible as pleasure reading, this well-written novel belongs in all collections.
--Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA
前言/序言
书名: 《星尘低语:奥德赛的遗产》 作者: 艾莉森·维克多 装帧: 精装 适读年龄: 12岁及以上 --- 书籍简介 穿越迷雾,追寻失落的文明之光 在这个被遗忘的纪元,世界被巨大的、如同水晶山脉般的“回声屏障”所环绕。人类文明的记忆被分割成无数破碎的碎片,散落在被浓密云雾终年笼罩的“低语之地”。我们的故事,始于一个名叫凯伦的年轻制图师。他生活在“磐石城”,一个依靠祖传的复杂机械系统维持运转的孤立聚落。凯伦自幼便对外界充满无尽的好奇,他对那些被族中长老视为禁忌的古老传说——关于一个名为“奥德赛”的黄金时代,以及他们如何掌握了控制星辰能量的技术——深信不疑。 命运的召唤与禁忌的地图 凯伦的平静生活被一场突如其来的“星辰脉冲”打破。这种罕见的能量波动,只在数百年前的史诗记载中出现过,它短暂地照亮了回声屏障的某个薄弱点,并在凯伦的阁楼中,激活了一张古老的、由不知名金属丝线编织而成的星图。这张图谱不仅指示了屏障之外的未知领域,更揭示了奥德赛文明留下的“核心密钥”的可能位置。 长老会迅速介入,严厉警告凯伦,任何试图穿越屏障的行为都将招致不可挽回的灾难。他们坚信,屏障是保护他们免受外部“混沌”侵蚀的唯一屏障。然而,凯伦从星图的微光中看到了一种不屈的希望,一种关于更广阔世界的承诺。 在一位名叫莱拉的神秘学徒(她拥有罕见的“共振感知”能力,能“听见”古代机械的低语)的帮助下,凯伦决定违抗命令。他们秘密地修复了一台被封存已久的“信标飞行器”——一艘依靠气流和微弱电磁力驱动的古老载具。 进入低语之地:光与影的交织 他们的旅程充满了艰险。一旦穿过回声屏障,他们面对的不再是熟悉的风暴和高山,而是永恒的迷雾和扭曲的现实。低语之地并非荒芜,而是充斥着奥德赛文明的遗迹,这些遗迹以一种超越现有科学的形态存在着。 他们必须穿越“沉默之森”,那里的树木由结晶化的硅片构成,会吸收掉任何机械发出的噪音;他们必须躲避“徘徊者”,一种由古代维护机器人演变而来的、对任何生命活动都保持敌意的实体。 在探险过程中,凯伦和莱拉发现,奥德赛文明的覆灭并非源于外部的入侵,而是由于他们对“核心密钥”——一种能够调和宇宙基本力量的装置——的过度依赖和误用,导致了能量的失控。他们留下的警告,被后世的幸存者误解为灾难的预兆,而非经验教训。 盟友与背叛:追寻真相的代价 在旅途中,他们遇到了一个亦正亦邪的自由探险家团体——“逐光者”。这群人同样在寻找奥德赛的遗产,但他们的目的更为功利:利用这些古老的能量技术来控制其他定居点。 逐光者的领袖,一个名叫泽尔的冷酷天才,最初向凯伦提供了宝贵的导航信息和技术支持。然而,当凯伦接近真相时,泽尔的真实面目暴露无遗——他渴望的不是知识,而是权力。他相信,只有掌握了核心密钥,才能建立一个由他主宰的新秩序,即使这意味着要重蹈奥德赛覆辙。 凯伦和莱拉必须运用他们的智慧和从古老文献中学到的知识,来解开一系列复杂的环境谜题和逻辑陷阱,这些陷阱正是奥德赛人为了防止技术落入不义之手而设置的。每一次解密,都让他们更接近“核心密钥”,但也使他们离磐石城的安全更远。 最终的抉择:平衡的艺术 故事的高潮发生在“天空之镜”——一个漂浮在迷雾之上的奥德赛天文台。在这里,凯伦终于找到了核心密钥。它不是一件武器,而是一个复杂的、需要精确校准的能量平衡装置。 泽尔和逐光者追至此地,试图强行启动密钥。凯伦意识到,如果像泽尔所希望的那样,将所有的能量导向单一的控制中心,必然会引发另一场全球性的能量崩溃。真正的奥德赛遗产,不是掌握力量,而是理解平衡。 在一场惊心动魄的对决中,凯伦不仅要智胜泽尔,更要用自己从旅程中学到的对古老机械的理解,重新校准核心密钥的频率。莱拉则利用她的共振感知能力,稳定了天文台周围不稳定的能量场,为凯伦争取了关键时间。 最终,凯伦没有选择将密钥占为己有,也没有让它落入泽尔手中。他选择了一种风险极高的方案:将密钥的能量释放到一个受控的、温和的脉冲中,这个脉冲不仅能穿透回声屏障,向外界的未知定居点传递和平的信息,还能永久地稳定低语之地的能量混乱,使迷雾逐渐消散,让世界重见天日。 尾声:曙光的开启 当凯伦和莱拉带着被修复的信标飞行器返回磐石城时,他们发现,屏障的裂缝虽然被堵住,但迷雾已经开始退去。长老们震惊地看着天空,第一次看到了真实的星辰。 《星尘低语:奥德赛的遗产》探讨了知识的责任、历史的解读,以及真正强大的力量并非来自占有,而是来自对自然规律的理解和尊重。凯伦的旅程,为被孤立的人类文明,开启了一个充满未知与机遇的新纪元。这不是一个关于征服的故事,而是一个关于重新连接的史诗。