具體描述
				
				
					
編輯推薦
    適讀人群 :6-9歲
                                     小說以霧都倫敦為背景,講述瞭一個孤兒悲慘的身世及遭遇,主人公奧利弗在孤兒院長大,經曆學徒生涯,艱苦逃難,誤入賊窩,又被迫與狠毒的凶徒為伍,曆盡無數辛酸,最後在善良人的幫助下,查明身世並獲得瞭幸福。                 內容簡介
   Oliver Twist is a desperate orphan. A gang of thieves takes him in and teaches him to steal, but then he is caught. What will become of poor Oliver Twist? Kids can find out in this easy-to-read chapter book adaptation of the Dickens classic.
    一個不知來曆的年輕孕婦昏倒在街上,人們把她送進瞭貧民收容院。第二天,她生下一個男孩後死去。這個孤兒被取名奧立弗·退斯特。十年後奧立弗成瞭棺材店的學徒。他不堪虐待,逃到瞭霧都倫敦,不幸落入賊幫手中。小小的孤兒在逆境中掙紮,幸而他由於本性善良而得到瞭善良人的幫助。他一次次化險為夷,終於能和愛他的親人團聚,他神秘的齣身也真相大白。     作者簡介
   Charles Dickens was born in 1812 near Portsmouth where his father was a clerk in the navy pay office. The family moved to London in 1823, but their fortunes were severely impaired. Dickens was sent to work in a blacking-warehouse when his father was imprisoned for debt. Both experiences deeply affected the future novelist. In 1833 he began contributing stories to newspapers and magazines, and in 1836 started the serial publication of Pickwick Papers. Thereafter, Dickens published his major novels over the course of the next twenty years, from Nicholas Nickleby to Little Dorrit. He also edited the journals Household Words and All the Year Round. Dickens died in June 1870.
  查爾斯·狄更斯(Charles Dickens,1812~1870),1812年生於英國的樸次茅斯。父親過著沒有節製的生活,負債纍纍。年幼的狄更斯被迫被送進一傢皮鞋油店當學徒,飽嘗瞭艱辛。狄更斯16歲時,父親因債務被關進監獄。從此,他們的生活更為悲慘。工業革命一方麵帶來瞭19世紀前期英國大都市的繁榮,另一方麵又帶來瞭庶民社會的極端貧睏和對童工的殘酷剝削。尖銳的社會矛盾和不公正的社會製度使狄更斯決心改變自己的生活。15歲時,狄更斯在一傢律師事務所當抄寫員並學習速記,此後,又在報社任新聞記者。在《記事晨報》任記者時,狄更斯開始發錶一些具有諷刺和幽默內容的短劇,主要反映倫敦的生活,逐漸有瞭名氣。他瞭解城市底層人民的生活和風土人情,這些都體現在他熱情洋溢的筆端。此後,他在不同的雜誌社任編輯、主編和發行人,其間發錶瞭幾十部長篇和短篇小說,主要作品有《霧都孤兒》、《聖誕頌歌》、《大衛·科波菲爾》和《遠大前程》等。
  狄更斯的作品大多取材於與自己的親身經曆或所見所聞相關聯的事件。他在書中揭露瞭濟貧院駭人聽聞的生活製度,揭開瞭英國社會底層的可怕秘密,淋灕盡緻地描寫瞭社會的黑暗和罪惡。本書起筆便描寫瞭主人公奧利弗生下來便成為孤兒,以及在濟貧院度過的悲慘生活。後來,他被迫到殯儀館做學徒,又因不堪忍受虐待而離傢齣走。孤身一人來到倫敦後,又落入瞭竊賊的手中。狄更斯在其作品中大量描寫瞭黑暗的社會現實,對平民階層寄予瞭深切的嚮情,並無情地批判瞭當時的社會製度。他在小說描寫的現實性和人物的個性化方麵成績是突齣的。他成為繼莎士比亞之後,塑造作品人物數量最多的一個作傢。      精彩書評
   "The power of [Dickens] is so amazing, that the reader at once becomes his captive, and must follow him whithersoever he leads."
--William Makepeace Thackeray     精彩書摘
   Chapter I
Treats of the place where Oliver Twist was Born; and of the Circumstances attending his Birth.
Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born: on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events: the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter.
For a long time after it was ushered into this world of sorrow and trouble, by the parish surgeon, it remained a matter of considerable doubt whether the child would survive to bear any name at all; in which case it is somewhat more than probable that these memoirs would never have appeared; or, if they had, that being comprised within a couple of pages, they would have possessed the inestimable merit of being the most concise and faithful specimen of biography, extant in the literature of any age or country.
Although I am not disposed to maintain that the being born in a workhouse, is in itself the most fortunate and enviable circumstance that can possibly befal a human being, I do mean to say that in this particular instance, it was the best thing for Oliver Twist that could by possibility have occurred. The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office of respiration,-a troublesome practice, but one which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress, rather unequally poised between this world and the next: the balance being decidedly in favour of the latter. Now, if, during this brief period, Oliver had been surrounded by careful grandmothers, anxious aunts, experienced nurses, and doctors of profound wisdom, he would most inevitably and indubitably have been killed in no time. There being nobody by, however, but a pauper old woman, who was rendered rather misty by an unwonted allowance of beer; and a parish surgeon who did such matters by contract; Oliver and Nature fought out the point between them. The result was, that, after a few struggles, Oliver breathed, sneezed, and proceeded to advertise to the inmates of the workhouse the fact of a new burden having been imposed upon the parish, by setting up as loud a cry as could reasonably have been expected from a male infant who had not been possessed of that very useful appendage, a voice, for a much longer space of time than three minutes and a quarter.
As Oliver gave this first proof of the free and proper action of his lungs, the patchwork coverlet which was carelessly flung over the iron bedstead, rustled; the pale face of a young woman was raised feebly from the pillow; and a faint voice imperfectly articulated the words, "Let me see the child, and die."
The surgeon had been sitting with his face turned towards the fire: giving the palms of his hands, a warm and a rub alternately. As the young woman spoke, he rose, and advancing to the bed's head, said, with more kindness than might have been expected of him:
"Oh, you must not talk about dying yet."
"Lor bless her dear heart, no!" interposed the nurse, hastily depositing in her pocket a green glass bottle, the contents of which she had been tasting in a corner with evident satisfaction. "Lor bless her dear heart, when she has lived as long as I have, sir, and had thirteen children of her own, and all on 'em dead except two, and them in the wurkus with me, she'll know better than to take on in that way, bless her dear heart! Think what it is to be a mother, there's a dear young lamb, do."
Apparently this consolatory perspective of a mother's prospects, failed in producing its due effect. The patient shook her head, and stretched out her hand towards the child.
The surgeon deposited it in her arms. She imprinted her cold white lips passionately on its forehead; passed her hands over her face; gazed wildly round; shuddered; fell back-and died. They chafed her breast, hands, and temples; but the blood had stopped for ever. They talked of hope and comfort. They had been strangers too long.
"It's all over, Mrs. Thingummy!" said the surgeon at last.
"Ah, poor dear, so it is!" said the nurse, picking up the cork of the green bottle which had fallen out on the pillow as she stooped to take up the child. "Poor dear!"
"You needn't mind sending up to me, if the child cries, nurse," said the surgeon, putting on his gloves with great deliberation. "It's very likely it will be troublesome. Give it a little gruel7 if it is." He put on his hat, and, pausing by the bed-side on his way to the door, added "She was a good-looking girl, too; where did she come from?"
"She was brought here last night," replied the old woman, "by the overseer's order. She was found lying in the street. She had walked some distance, for her shoes were worn to pieces; but where she came from, or where she was going to, nobody knows."    
				
				
				
					奇幻冒險:《星辰之鑰與失落的圖書館》  適閤年齡: 7-10歲  關鍵詞: 魔法、友誼、解謎、勇氣、想象力  ---  引言:塵封的秘密與不凡的召喚  在世界的邊緣,坐落著一座被時間遺忘的古老小鎮——靜水鎮。鎮上的一切都寜靜得近乎沉睡,除瞭那個被藤蔓和迷霧緊緊環繞的廢棄建築:高聳入雲的奧瑞恩圖書館。傳說中,這座圖書館收藏瞭世間所有的知識,甚至包括如何駕馭風暴和與星辰對話的秘密。然而,它在百年前的一夜之間突然關閉,所有的書頁都失去瞭聲音。  我們的主角,艾拉(Ella),一個充滿好奇心、擁有一頭火紅色捲發的十歲女孩,正是靜水鎮上唯一一個對古老傳說抱有真正熱情的人。她不像其他孩子那樣滿足於日復一日的平淡生活,她的眼睛裏總是閃爍著對未知世界的渴望。她的“不尋常”之處,在於她能聽見微弱的、隻有她能察覺的低語——那是來自石頭、舊木頭和被遺忘的物品的“心聲”。  第一章:圖書館的低語與意外的盟友  一個電閃雷鳴的夜晚,艾拉被一陣異常強烈的“呼喚”驚醒。那聲音不是來自她的臥室,而是來自鎮子盡頭,圖書館的方嚮。帶著她那把從爺爺那裏繼承來的、造型奇特的黃銅鑰匙,艾拉穿過泥濘的小路,來到瞭圖書館那扇巨大、布滿銅銹的大門前。  令她震驚的是,大門並沒有完全鎖死。當她將黃銅鑰匙插入鎖孔時,周圍的空氣瞬間凝固,鑰匙發齣柔和的藍光,大門緩緩開啓,露齣瞭一個比想象中更宏偉、更神秘的入口。  圖書館內部,不再是死寂的塵封之地,而是一個由光影編織而成的迷宮。高聳的書架直插雲霄,書頁在無形的風中輕輕翻動,空氣中彌漫著墨水、羊皮紙和某種難以言喻的、微弱的魔法香氣。  就在她迷失方嚮時,一個不速之客齣現瞭。那不是人,而是一團由漂浮的微小光點組成的生物,它自稱為“墨跡精靈”——芬(Finn)。芬是個有些神經質、但知識淵博的小傢夥。它告訴艾拉,圖書館的“核心”——《星辰之鑰》——被人盜走瞭。這本書並非記載文字,而是儲存著控製圖書館魔法陣的關鍵,沒有它,圖書館的知識將永遠沉睡,並最終崩塌,其溢齣的魔法能量會危及靜水鎮。  芬警告艾拉,盜賊是一個名叫“影語者”的神秘人物,他覬覦圖書館的能量,試圖用“星辰之鑰”來重寫現實規則。  第二章:迷失的章節與綫索的碎片  艾拉和芬結成瞭臨時的同盟。他們的任務是深入圖書館的各個“失落的章節”,收集關於“影語者”和“星辰之鑰”的綫索。  圖書館的結構並非綫性排列,而是充滿著魔法謎題。他們必須穿過:  1. “時間停滯區”: 在這裏,時間流動變得極其緩慢,艾拉必須利用芬製造的短暫“加速泡”來穿過靜止的擺鍾和慢動作的塵埃落體。她發現的第一條綫索藏在一本記載著古代星象圖的古籍中——那是一枚掉落的、刻有奇異花紋的烏木書簽。  2. “顛倒的地圖室”: 這是一個充滿瞭三維立體地圖和懸空球體的房間。地圖上的河流嚮上流淌,山脈倒置。要找到下一個綫索,艾拉必須學會用“心”去感受方嚮,而不是眼睛。她成功地解開瞭一個復雜的方位謎題,找到瞭第二件物品——一個會變色的水晶球,它會根據環境中的“謊言”改變顔色。  3. “迴聲走廊”: 一條長長的走廊,任何聲音都會被放大並扭麯成令人睏惑的噪音。艾拉意識到,影語者留下的綫索並非視覺信息,而是聽覺的暗示。她必須用黃銅鑰匙輕輕敲擊不同的書脊,找到能夠産生和諧共鳴的特定“音符組閤”,纔能打開通往深層區域的密門。她收集到瞭一段被冰封的古老歌謠的片段。  第三章:友誼的力量與內心的試煉  在探險過程中,艾拉和芬的友誼日益加深。芬雖然膽小,但它對古老文字的瞭解和艾拉的勇氣形成瞭完美的互補。然而,圖書館似乎在考驗他們,設置的障礙不僅僅是物理或智力上的挑戰。  他們進入瞭“記憶書庫”,這裏存放著被遺忘的夢想和破碎的希望。艾拉開始看到一些她自己過去的片段——關於她因為“與眾不同”而感到孤單的時刻。影語者試圖利用這些“負麵情緒”來削弱艾拉的意誌,誘惑她放棄尋找“星辰之鑰”,轉而沉浸在被理解的幻覺中。  關鍵時刻,艾拉想起瞭爺爺教導她的話:“真正的力量,不是你擁有什麼,而是你選擇相信什麼。”她用自己的“心聲感應”力量,將周圍所有美好的記憶碎片——鎮上孩子的笑聲、芬第一次幫助她的溫暖——編織成一道光盾,驅散瞭幻覺。  這時,水晶球開始劇烈閃爍,它顯示齣影語者留下的一個更明確的標記:一個隱藏在靜水鎮鍾樓上的符號。  第四章:決戰:鍾樓上的真相  艾拉和芬馬不停蹄地趕往鍾樓。在頂層,他們發現瞭影語者——他並不是一個麵目可憎的惡魔,而是一位曾經是圖書館學徒的老者,阿奇博爾德。他看起來疲憊不堪,手中緊握著散發著微光的《星辰之鑰》。  阿奇博爾德解釋說,他並非想毀滅圖書館,而是想用這本書“修正”曆史上的一個錯誤——他希望抹去導緻他摯愛親人離去的災難。他相信,隻有絕對的控製權纔能帶來真正的秩序。  衝突爆發瞭。阿奇博爾德試圖用“星辰之鑰”的力量重塑周圍的空間,讓艾拉和芬被睏在不斷崩塌的樓梯上。  艾拉明白,蠻力無法取勝。她結閤瞭之前收集到的所有綫索:  1. 烏木書簽代錶瞭堅定的決心。 2. 會變色的水晶球提醒她分辨真實與虛假。 3. 被冰封的歌謠讓她明白瞭,真正的力量在於連接,而非隔離。  她沒有攻擊阿奇博爾德,而是大聲喊齣瞭歌謠的最後一句(這是芬通過解讀冰封鏇律後翻譯齣來的真正含義):“知識如水,流動方能滋養萬物,固守則自封枯竭。”  這句話觸動瞭阿奇博爾德內心深處對知識的敬畏。他手中的《星辰之鑰》瞬間失去瞭控製,光芒柔和下來。  尾聲:知識的迴歸與新的開始  《星辰之鑰》迴到瞭它應有的位置——圖書館中央的基座。隨著鑰匙的歸位,圖書館的魔法光芒重新穩定下來。那些翻動的書頁停止瞭躁動,取而代之的是一種平靜而充滿活力的嗡鳴聲。  阿奇博爾德選擇瞭接受,並承諾將用餘生去守護圖書館的平衡。  艾拉沒有成為拯救世界的女英雄,但她成為瞭靜水鎮第一個“被圖書館認可的守護者”。芬留在瞭圖書館,成為瞭艾拉的私人嚮導。  第二天清晨,靜水鎮依舊寜靜,但艾拉知道,她與那個宏偉、充滿魔法的知識寶庫之間,建立瞭一種永恒的聯係。她帶著對新世界的期盼,期待著下一次圖書館對她的召喚。因為她知道,奧瑞恩圖書館裏,還有無數未被翻閱的篇章,等待著她和芬一起去探索。  ---  本書的亮點:     互動式解謎: 故事中融入瞭多種需要讀者動腦筋的謎題設計,鼓勵孩子們從多個角度思考問題。    情感深度: 探討瞭“好奇心”、“友誼的價值”以及“接受不完美”的主題。    想象力的盛宴: 描繪瞭一個充滿動態光影、會呼吸的圖書館世界,激發對閱讀和探險的熱愛。