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適讀人群 :6-9歲 The nostalgic charm of Avonlea comes alive in Lucy Maud Montgomery's heart-warming tale set on the quaint island of Prince William about an aging brother and sister, Mathew and Marilla Cuthbert, and their decision to adopt a young boy to help with chores around their farm. However, as the result of a misunderstanding the boy turns out to be a feisty, independent, and wildly imaginative redheaded girl named Anne. Marilla's first reaction to this news is, "What use is she to us?" Wherein Mathew replies, "We might be of some use to her." Throughout this moving story these two statements mix and meld together so richly and completely that they become one truth. Three lives are changed so dramatically that none can imagine life without the others. Each new day brings a new set of adventures, often hilarious and always uplifting. Anne's vivid and overactive imagination is the cause of many mishaps, but her saving grace is her heart of gold. Her best friend and "kindred spirit," Diana, and her handsome admirer, Gilbert Blythe, often find themselves unintentional victims of Anne's escapades. Narrator Shelly Frasier's pleasant voice is especially enjoyable during the rapid ramblings of Anne and as the soft-spoken, slow-paced Mathew. Her voice reflects the human qualities of each character, switching seamlessly between broken and despaired, curt and crisp, or dreamy and absent-minded. This perennial classic, divided into convenient three minute tracks and containing a short biography of the author, is a must have for expanding audiobook collections.
內容簡介
When the Cathberts adopt an orphan, they aren't prepared for Anne Shirley. But the spunky heroine wins everyone's heart and finds herself a true home at last.
作者簡介
Lucy Maud Montgomery was a popular Canadian author in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She is know for her novels, poetry, and short stories. Some of her well know titles are Anne of Avonlea, Kilmeny of the Orchard and Pat of Silver Bush. She died in 1942.
露西·莫德·濛哥瑪利,生於1874年,享譽世界的加拿大女作傢,擅長小說創作。代錶作品為《綠山牆的安妮》,被譽為“世界上最甜蜜的少女成長故事”。
她在以小說《清秀佳人》(1908)贏得世界性的成功以前是一名教師和記者。這是一個關於一名勇敢的孤兒的感傷小說,取材於作者自己小時的經曆和她在愛德華王子島上的農村生活與風俗。接下來的六本續集從安妮的少女時期寫到她為人母,但都不太成功。她還寫作瞭彆的係列青年小說、幾本故事集和兩本成人小說。
內頁插圖
精彩書評
"Aficionados of the auburn-tressed waif will find Anne of Green Gables lavishly illustrated."
--Smithsonian Magazine
精彩書摘
Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde's Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde's door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof.
There are plenty of people, in Avonlea and out of it, who can attend closely to their neighbors business by dint of neglecting their own; but Mrs. Rachel Lynde was one of those capable creatures who can manage their own concerns and those of other folks into the bargain. She was a notable housewife; her work was always done and well done; she "ran" the Sewing Circle, helped run the Sunday-school, and was the strongest prop of the, Church Aid Society and Foreign Missions Auxiliary. Yet with all this Mrs. Rachel found abundant time to sit for hours at her kitchen window, knitting "cotton warp" quilts--she had, knitted sixteen of them, as Avonlea housekeepers were wont to tell in awed voices-and keeping a sharp eye on the main road that crossed the hollow and wound up the steep red hill beyond. Since Avonlea occupied a little triangular peninsula jutting out into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with water on two sides of it, anybody who went out of it or into it had to pass over that hill road and so run the unseen gauntlet of Mrs. Rachel's all-seeing eye.
She was sitting there one afternoon in early June. The sun was coming in at the window warm and bright; the orchard on the slope below the house was in a bridal flush of pinky-white bloom, hummed over by a myriad of bees. Thomas Lynde-a meek little man whom Avonlea people called "Rachel Lynde's husband"-was sowing his late turnip seed on the hill field beyond the barn; and Matthew Cuthbert ought to have been sowing his on the big red brook field away over by Green Gables. Mrs. Rachel knew that he ought because she had heard him tell Peter Morrison the evening before in William J. Blaire's store over at Carmody that he meant to sow his turnip seed the next afternoon. Peter had asked him, of course, for Matthew Cuthbert had never been known to volunteer information about anything in his whole life.
And yet here was Matthew Cuthbert, at half-past three on the afternoon of a busy day, placidly driving over the hollow and up the hill; moreover, he wore a white collar and his best suit of clothes, which was plain proof that he was going out of Avonlea; and he had the buggy and the sorrel mare, which betokened that he was going a considerable distance. Now, where was Matthew Cuthbert going and why was he going there?
Had it been any other man in Avonlea Mrs. Rachel, deftly putting this and that together, might have given a pretty good guess as to both questions. But Matthew so rarely went from home that it must be something pressing and unusual which was taking him; he was the shyest man alive and hated to have to go among strangers or to any place where he might have to talk. Matthew, dressed up with a white collar and driving in a buggy, was something that didn't happen often. Mrs. Rachel, ponder as she might, could make nothing of it and her afternoo's enjoyment was spoiled.
"I'll just step over to Green Gables after tea and find out from Marilla where he's gone and why," the worthy woman finally concluded. "He doesn't generally go to town this time of year and he new visits; if he'd run out of turnip seed he wouldn't dress up and take the buggy to go for more; he wasn't driving fast enough to be going for the doctor. Yet something must have happened since List night to start him off. I'm clean puzzled, that's what, and I won't know a minute's peace of mind or conscience until I know what has taken Matthew Cuthbert out of Avonlea today-"
Accordingly after tea Mrs. Rachel set out; she had not far to go; the big, rambling orchard-embowered house where the Cuthberts lived was a scant quarter of a mile up the road from Lynde's Hollow. To be sure, the long lane made it a good deal further. Matthew Cuthberfs father, as shy and silent as his son after him, had got as far away as he possibly could from his fellow men without actually retreating into the woods when he founded his homestead. Green Gables was built at the furthest edge of his cleared land and there it was to this day, barely visible from the main road along which all the other Avonlea houses were so sociably situated. Mrs. Rachel Lynde did not call living in such a place living at all.
1. It's just staying, that's what," she said as she stepped along the deep-rutted, grassy lane bordered with wild rose bushes. "Ifs no wonder Matthew and Marilia are both a little odd, living away back here by themselves. Trees aren't much company, though dear knows if they were there'd be enough of them. I'd ruther look at people. To be sure, they seem contented enough; but then, I suppose, they're used to it. A body can get used to anything even to being hanged, as the Irishman said."
想象的遠航:一個關於勇氣、友誼與成長的故事 書名: 《星辰之下的秘密花園》 作者: 艾米莉亞·布萊剋伍德 適閤年齡: 8-12歲 頁數: 320頁 裝幀: 精裝,附帶精美插圖 --- 引言:被遺忘的門扉 在維多利亞時代末期,當蒸汽機和新發明正以不可思議的速度改變著世界時,有一個地方似乎被時間遺忘瞭。那便是坐落在英國多塞特郡海岸邊,被當地人稱為“迷霧角”的“月桂莊園”。 故事的主人公,十歲的萊拉·佩恩,並不是一個被寄養的孩子,但她同樣感到自己像一片漂泊的葉子。她的父母是忙碌的博物學傢,常年在遙遠的異國他鄉進行考察,隻留下萊拉跟隨沉默寡言的祖母生活在這座莊園裏。月桂莊園,與其說是一個傢,不如說是一座巨大的、布滿瞭灰塵的紀念碑,裏麵堆滿瞭祖父留下的奇特收藏:被封印的昆蟲標本、褪色的地圖、以及無數沒有上鎖但卻寫著“禁止靠近”的箱子。 萊拉擁有一頭火焰般的紅發,眼睛裏閃爍著比海邊鵝卵石更深邃的藍光。她不像鎮上的其他女孩那樣熱衷於縫紉或茶會,她的世界存在於書頁之間,以及她那顆永遠不安分的、渴望冒險的心中。她最大的秘密,是她堅信月桂莊園的巨大、被藤蔓纏繞的後花園中,藏著一個通往“迴音榖”的秘密入口。 第一部分:石牆後的低語 萊拉的生活平靜得近乎枯燥,直到一個暴風雨的夜晚,一個神秘的訪客打破瞭這份沉寂。 這個訪客名叫芬尼剋斯·格雷,一個比萊拉大兩歲的男孩。他自稱是附近一傢新搬來的貴族傢庭的遠親,但他的到來卻充滿瞭疑點。芬尼剋斯穿著不閤時宜的深色長褲,眼神中帶著一種老成持重的謹慎,他隨身攜帶的皮質筆記本裏畫滿瞭復雜的機械圖紙和奇怪的符號。 他並非為瞭友誼而來,而是為瞭尋找一樣東西——一個失蹤已久的“星盤羅盤”。根據芬尼剋斯的講述,這個羅盤並非用於航海,而是用於“校準時間的微小偏差”。起初,萊拉對這個故事嗤之以鼻,認為這不過是芬尼剋斯編造的謊言,好讓他能潛入莊園的禁區。然而,當芬尼剋斯展示瞭他能夠用手指輕輕撥動一朵枯萎花朵的顔色,使其恢復鮮活的“小把戲”時,萊拉的好奇心被徹底點燃瞭。 他們結成瞭暫時的盟友,目標一緻:探索莊園的秘密。 萊拉的祖母,那位總是穿著厚重黑色羊毛衫的老夫人,對兩人的活動保持著極度的警惕。她總是告誡萊拉:“有些門,一旦打開,就再也關不上瞭,孩子。記住,好奇心是把雙刃劍。” 在一次對舊圖書館的探索中,萊拉和芬尼剋斯發現瞭一本日記,文字古老而難以辨認。通過萊拉齣色的模仿能力(她曾偷偷練習過模仿祖父的筆跡),他們解讀齣瞭一段關於莊園的真正曆史:月桂莊園的創始人,一位被遺忘的天文學傢,曾試圖通過某種裝置來捕捉和儲存“午夜時分最純淨的月光”。 第二部分:迴音榖的真相 萊拉的直覺將她引嚮瞭花園深處那堵被苔蘚覆蓋的石牆。在芬尼剋斯的幫助下,他們找到瞭一個幾乎看不見的黃銅把手。當他們轉動把手時,不是想象中的通道開啓,而是一陣低沉的、類似風琴共鳴的聲音傳齣。 他們發現的“迴音榖”,實際上是一個被精心設計的地下迷宮。這個迷宮的設計,旨在測試進入者的“心智的純淨度”。 迷宮的挑戰並非物理上的陷阱,而是心理上的考驗: 1. “遺忘之鏡”: 一麵能映照齣你最害怕失去的事物的鏡子。萊拉在那裏看到瞭自己被父母遺忘的孤獨景象,但她堅強地告訴鏡子:“我的想象力是我的港灣。” 鏡子隨之破碎。 2. “選擇之廳”: 擺放著兩種截然不同的路徑——一條通往財富與安逸,另一條則通往知識與未知。芬尼剋斯毫不猶豫地選擇瞭後者,因為他真正的目標是“理解,而非擁有”。 在迷宮的深處,他們找到瞭“星盤羅盤”。但它並非他們想象中的高科技儀器,而是一個由紫水晶和生銹的齒輪組成的復雜儀器。 就在他們觸碰到羅盤的瞬間,祖母齣現瞭。她的麵容不再冷漠,而是充滿瞭疲憊和深深的悲傷。 祖母解釋道,羅盤是她丈夫——萊拉的祖父——留下的遺産。祖父癡迷於捕捉“瞬間的美麗”,他相信通過這個羅盤,可以讓人在極短的時間內體驗到一生的所有色彩和情感,但這需要巨大的精神代價。 第三部分:時間的校準與告彆 祖母透露,芬尼剋斯的傢族與祖父有著一段陳舊的恩怨。芬尼剋斯的父親也曾試圖獲取羅盤,但目的在於利用它來修正自己過去犯下的一個“小小的錯誤”,一個涉及失去友誼的過往。 萊拉和芬尼剋斯意識到,這個羅盤並非解決問題的鑰匙,而是一個誘惑。如果強行啓動,它可能會帶來無法預料的混亂。 麵對祖母的懇求,以及對芬尼剋斯坦白內心恐懼的理解,萊拉做齣瞭一個成熟的決定:他們不啓動羅盤,而是共同修復它。 在接下來的幾周裏,萊拉用她天馬行空的想象力,幫助芬尼剋斯理解祖父的設計理念——美存在於事物的不完美和流逝之中。芬尼剋斯則教導萊拉如何運用邏輯和精確的計算來穩定那些搖搖欲墜的齒輪。 他們最終沒有修復羅盤到可以“捕獲瞬間”的程度,而是將其變成瞭一個精美的、能夠精確顯示“今日日齣時間和日落時間”的裝飾品。 芬尼剋斯的傢族最終沒有找到他們想要的東西,但他找到瞭更寶貴的東西:一個真誠的友誼和對過去和解的可能。他嚮萊拉承諾,他會用自己未來的發明,去創造新的、真正有益於人們的東西,而不是去彌補無法挽迴的過去。 當芬尼剋斯最終告彆月桂莊園時,他留下瞭一張小小的草圖,上麵畫著一個可以自動整理書架的微型裝置,並在旁邊寫著:“緻擁有最豐富想象力的圖書館管理員。” 結語:屬於自己的光芒 萊拉站在月桂莊園的窗前,看著遠方的海霧散去。祖母遞給她一把小小的鑰匙,那是屬於花園的,也是屬於她自己想象力的鑰匙。 萊拉明白瞭,真正的冒險並非來自遙遠的異國或神秘的裝置,而是源於你如何看待你所處的日常。她不再需要通過鏡子尋找慰藉,因為她知道,自己的勇氣和對世界的好奇心,就是那束最明亮的光。她拿起筆,開始為自己未曾言說的經曆寫下第一頁故事,她知道,她的想象力,遠比任何魔法羅盤都更加強大和持久。 《星辰之下的秘密花園》 是一部獻給所有相信“世界遠比錶麵上看起來更奇妙”的孩子們的頌歌。它探討瞭友誼的復雜性、傢族的秘密,以及成長的真正含義——即學會如何珍視此刻,而非試圖捕捉永恒。