編輯推薦
適讀人群 :9歲及以上 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.
內容簡介
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.
作者簡介
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.
精彩書評
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
書名: 《星塵低語:奧德賽的遺産》 作者: 艾莉森·維剋多 裝幀: 精裝 適讀年齡: 12歲及以上 --- 書籍簡介 穿越迷霧,追尋失落的文明之光 在這個被遺忘的紀元,世界被巨大的、如同水晶山脈般的“迴聲屏障”所環繞。人類文明的記憶被分割成無數破碎的碎片,散落在被濃密雲霧終年籠罩的“低語之地”。我們的故事,始於一個名叫凱倫的年輕製圖師。他生活在“磐石城”,一個依靠祖傳的復雜機械係統維持運轉的孤立聚落。凱倫自幼便對外界充滿無盡的好奇,他對那些被族中長老視為禁忌的古老傳說——關於一個名為“奧德賽”的黃金時代,以及他們如何掌握瞭控製星辰能量的技術——深信不疑。 命運的召喚與禁忌的地圖 凱倫的平靜生活被一場突如其來的“星辰脈衝”打破。這種罕見的能量波動,隻在數百年前的史詩記載中齣現過,它短暫地照亮瞭迴聲屏障的某個薄弱點,並在凱倫的閣樓中,激活瞭一張古老的、由不知名金屬絲綫編織而成的星圖。這張圖譜不僅指示瞭屏障之外的未知領域,更揭示瞭奧德賽文明留下的“核心密鑰”的可能位置。 長老會迅速介入,嚴厲警告凱倫,任何試圖穿越屏障的行為都將招緻不可挽迴的災難。他們堅信,屏障是保護他們免受外部“混沌”侵蝕的唯一屏障。然而,凱倫從星圖的微光中看到瞭一種不屈的希望,一種關於更廣闊世界的承諾。 在一位名叫萊拉的神秘學徒(她擁有罕見的“共振感知”能力,能“聽見”古代機械的低語)的幫助下,凱倫決定違抗命令。他們秘密地修復瞭一颱被封存已久的“信標飛行器”——一艘依靠氣流和微弱電磁力驅動的古老載具。 進入低語之地:光與影的交織 他們的旅程充滿瞭艱險。一旦穿過迴聲屏障,他們麵對的不再是熟悉的風暴和高山,而是永恒的迷霧和扭麯的現實。低語之地並非荒蕪,而是充斥著奧德賽文明的遺跡,這些遺跡以一種超越現有科學的形態存在著。 他們必須穿越“沉默之森”,那裏的樹木由結晶化的矽片構成,會吸收掉任何機械發齣的噪音;他們必須躲避“徘徊者”,一種由古代維護機器人演變而來的、對任何生命活動都保持敵意的實體。 在探險過程中,凱倫和萊拉發現,奧德賽文明的覆滅並非源於外部的入侵,而是由於他們對“核心密鑰”——一種能夠調和宇宙基本力量的裝置——的過度依賴和誤用,導緻瞭能量的失控。他們留下的警告,被後世的幸存者誤解為災難的預兆,而非經驗教訓。 盟友與背叛:追尋真相的代價 在旅途中,他們遇到瞭一個亦正亦邪的自由探險傢團體——“逐光者”。這群人同樣在尋找奧德賽的遺産,但他們的目的更為功利:利用這些古老的能量技術來控製其他定居點。 逐光者的領袖,一個名叫澤爾的冷酷天纔,最初嚮凱倫提供瞭寶貴的導航信息和技術支持。然而,當凱倫接近真相時,澤爾的真實麵目暴露無遺——他渴望的不是知識,而是權力。他相信,隻有掌握瞭核心密鑰,纔能建立一個由他主宰的新秩序,即使這意味著要重蹈奧德賽覆轍。 凱倫和萊拉必須運用他們的智慧和從古老文獻中學到的知識,來解開一係列復雜的環境謎題和邏輯陷阱,這些陷阱正是奧德賽人為瞭防止技術落入不義之手而設置的。每一次解密,都讓他們更接近“核心密鑰”,但也使他們離磐石城的安全更遠。 最終的抉擇:平衡的藝術 故事的高潮發生在“天空之鏡”——一個漂浮在迷霧之上的奧德賽天文颱。在這裏,凱倫終於找到瞭核心密鑰。它不是一件武器,而是一個復雜的、需要精確校準的能量平衡裝置。 澤爾和逐光者追至此地,試圖強行啓動密鑰。凱倫意識到,如果像澤爾所希望的那樣,將所有的能量導嚮單一的控製中心,必然會引發另一場全球性的能量崩潰。真正的奧德賽遺産,不是掌握力量,而是理解平衡。 在一場驚心動魄的對決中,凱倫不僅要智勝澤爾,更要用自己從旅程中學到的對古老機械的理解,重新校準核心密鑰的頻率。萊拉則利用她的共振感知能力,穩定瞭天文颱周圍不穩定的能量場,為凱倫爭取瞭關鍵時間。 最終,凱倫沒有選擇將密鑰占為己有,也沒有讓它落入澤爾手中。他選擇瞭一種風險極高的方案:將密鑰的能量釋放到一個受控的、溫和的脈衝中,這個脈衝不僅能穿透迴聲屏障,嚮外界的未知定居點傳遞和平的信息,還能永久地穩定低語之地的能量混亂,使迷霧逐漸消散,讓世界重見天日。 尾聲:曙光的開啓 當凱倫和萊拉帶著被修復的信標飛行器返迴磐石城時,他們發現,屏障的裂縫雖然被堵住,但迷霧已經開始退去。長老們震驚地看著天空,第一次看到瞭真實的星辰。 《星塵低語:奧德賽的遺産》探討瞭知識的責任、曆史的解讀,以及真正強大的力量並非來自占有,而是來自對自然規律的理解和尊重。凱倫的旅程,為被孤立的人類文明,開啓瞭一個充滿未知與機遇的新紀元。這不是一個關於徵服的故事,而是一個關於重新連接的史詩。