内容简介
With the help of this book, toddlers will love learning to say NO to hitting—and screaming and squeezing and yelling—and YES to fun! Refreshingly honest and all too true, this funny book is perfect for toddlers, and parents will find it a painless way to steer their little ones toward, shall we say, more acceptable behavior!
作者简介
Karen Katz A favorite with parents and a hit with littlest "readers," award-winning illustrator Karen Katz has created several bestselling books for babies and toddlers. Biography From painting and sculpture to quiltmaking and costume design, Karen Katz has been making art in one form or another all her life. But it was not until she and her husband adopted a baby from Guatemala that she considered a career in children's books. Published in 1997, her debut picture book, Over the Moon, told the story of one adoptive family's happy beginnings in a country far away. Since then, Katz has gone on to create many award-winning picture, board, and novelty books that capture the joys of childhood in simple storylines, vibrant colors, and winsome illustrations. Some include count-down elements (Counting Kisses, Ten Tiny Tickles) or interactive features (Where Is Baby's Belly Button?, Peek-A-Baby); still others introduce holiday traditions (My First Kwanzaa, My First Chinese New Year) or reinforce good habits, manners, or behavior (Excuse Me!, No Biting!, I Can Share). Perhaps the secret to Katz's success (besides the undeniable appeal of her signature round-headed babies!) can be summed up in this quote taken directly from the author/artist's website: "When an idea for a story pops into my head, I ask these questions: Will a child want to read this book? Will parents want to read this book with their children? Will this book make a child laugh? Will this book make a parent and child feel something? Is there something visual here that will hold a child's interest? Will a child see something in a different way after reading this book? If the answer to any of those questions is 'yes,' then I know I'm on the right track." Good To Know Katz explains the difference between designing picture books and board books in this way: Picture books usually have more words in them but they tell more of a narrative story. Board books are usually simpler. They are generally 6 spreads and are about one concept. When I create a board book, I try to make something that is very interactive for the baby, with flaps and pull tabs and lots of surprises. Board books are a perfect size for a baby's hand to hold and touch. Babies can have an experience all by them selves with a good board book and can also have a good lap-time experience with a mommy or daddy or caregiver. Picture books take a little more care since the pages can rip. With a board book, you can throw it in a stroller, chew on the corners and even wipe off mashed peas. Katz has received numerous awards for her work, including: Smithsonian, People, and Parent Guide magazines Best Books designation, all 1997, all for Over the Moon Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award nomination, Florida Reading Association Award nomination, and Child magazine Best Book designation, all 2000, all for The Colors of Us National Parenting Publications Gold Award, and Child magazine Best Book designation, both 2001, and Bank Street School Books Committee Best Book designation, 2002, all for Counting Kisses Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, 2002, for Counting Kisses and Twelve Hats for Lena. Education: Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia; Yale Graduate School of Art and Architecture Website: http://www.karenkatz.com
前言/序言
想象力的奇幻旅程:《星辰之歌》 图书简介 宏大的开篇:失落的文明与亘古的谜团 《星辰之歌》并非一本普通的奇幻小说,它是一部气势磅礴的史诗,带领读者潜入一个由失落的、拥有超越时代科技的“先驱者”文明所遗留下的世界。故事的主线围绕着“以太”——一种被认为只存在于神话中的能量源展开。这个世界,名为“埃瑟利亚”,正面临着一场缓慢而不可逆转的衰退:天空中的星辰光芒日渐黯淡,维持大陆漂浮的巨大水晶结构开始崩裂,古老的魔法体系也逐渐失灵。 我们的主角,一个名叫凯伦的年轻制图师,生活在大陆边缘的“回声城”。凯伦并非天生的英雄,他敏感、观察力敏锐,更擅长解读那些被时间侵蚀的古老地图和晦涩的星象记录。他的生活被一场突如其来的事件彻底颠覆:他偶然发现了一幅描绘着埃瑟利亚核心区域、被认为早已毁灭的“创世之厅”的地图。这张地图并非用墨水绘制,而是用一种会在特定月相下发出微光的金属粉末所制成。 这张地图,成为了他通往未知世界的钥匙,也立刻将他置于各方势力的焦点之中。 主要角色群像 埃瑟利亚大陆上的派系复杂,每个群体都有其独特的信仰和对“星辰之歌”的理解: 1. 守望者议会(The Custodians): 这是埃瑟利亚最古老、最有权力的机构,他们声称肩负着保护先驱者遗迹和维持现有秩序的责任。议会的领袖,大贤者维拉,是一位表面上慈祥实则手腕强硬的人物。她坚信力量应该被严格控制,并试图没收凯伦发现的地图,理由是“知识若被滥用,将加速世界的终结”。维拉掌握着一种基于声音频率的古老共振魔法,能瞬间摧毁金属和岩石。 2. 影行者(The Umbra Stalkers): 一群生活在大陆下方黑暗裂隙中的流亡者和被遗忘者。他们推崇“自然回归”的哲学,认为先驱者的科技是世界的诅咒,主张彻底摧毁所有遗迹,让世界回归原始的混沌状态。他们的领袖,一个面容被阴影笼罩的神秘战士,代号“夜语者”,对凯伦表现出矛盾的态度:既想利用他找到的线索,又时刻准备将其灭口。 3. 机械术士(The Artificers of Cogswell): 这是一个位于工业重镇的群体,他们痴迷于修复和逆向工程先驱者的机械造物。他们相信“星辰之歌”并非神秘力量,而是一套可被量化、重构的机械代码。他们的代表人物,天才但孤僻的工程师艾洛斯,对凯伦的地图表现出极大的科学兴趣,并提供了一批他亲手制造的,能够抵御高强度以太辐射的辅助装备。艾洛斯和凯伦的合作是基于共同的求知欲,而非政治立场。 探索的序曲:迷失的维度 凯伦在艾洛斯和一名神秘的流浪学者——他自称是“星辰低语者”的后裔——的帮助下,踏上了旅程。他们的首要目标是找到地图上标记的第一个信标:位于“静默之海”中央的“漂浮之塔”。 “静默之海”并非传统意义上的海洋,而是一片充满静电干扰和时间错乱的区域。船只无法航行,凯伦的小队必须依靠艾洛斯改造的古老浮空艇穿越。在穿越过程中,他们遭遇了时间回溯的现象:他们会短暂地体验到数百年前,先驱者文明鼎盛时期的景象——天空被流动的光之河流充满,巨大的城市在云层之上漂浮。这些闪回不仅是视觉奇观,更是揭示“星辰之歌”本质的关键线索。 当他们到达漂浮之塔时,他们发现塔身被一种冰冷的能量场保护着,而守望者议会的巡逻队也紧随而至。一场紧张的智力与武力的较量展开了。凯伦必须利用他对古代符号的理解,在维拉的共振魔法干扰下,找到激活塔内信息核心的正确频率。 核心冲突的升级:真相的代价 成功进入漂浮之塔后,凯伦发现“星辰之歌”并非一首歌曲,而是一个复杂的维护协议。先驱者文明并非自然衰亡,而是他们意识到自身对宇宙能量的过度汲取正在破坏宇宙的稳定结构,因此设计了这个复杂的协议来“休眠”他们的科技,并让世界进入一个相对低能耗的平衡状态,等待下一次能量周期。 然而,守望者议会和机械术士对这个真相的理解截然不同。维拉认为,休眠协议是先驱者留下的最后一道命令,必须坚决执行,以防止世界重蹈覆辙;而艾洛斯则坚信,他们有能力“升级”这个协议,让人类驾驭更强大的以太力量,从而让埃瑟利亚真正地繁荣起来。 故事的高潮发生在埃瑟利亚的心脏——位于地幔深处的“共鸣室”。凯伦的地图最终指向了这里。夜语者和影行者们也发现了共鸣室的入口,他们准备用一个巨大的反向脉冲来彻底摧毁所有残留的先驱者科技,实现他们的“回归自然”的理想。 凯伦面临着最艰难的抉择: 1. 支持维拉: 维护现有的稳定,但意味着世界将永远停滞在一种衰弱的状态。 2. 支持艾洛斯: 冒险重启高级能源,可能带来空前的繁荣,但也可能引发灾难性的失控。 3. 屈服于夜语者: 彻底的毁灭,但换来了他们眼中所谓的“纯净”。 结局的余韵:重塑的黎明 在共鸣室的中心,凯伦利用他一路收集的知识——先驱者遗留的乐谱片段、艾洛斯的工程学智慧,以及“星辰低语者”的哲学洞察——他没有选择执行或摧毁协议,而是修改了它。 他没有重启全部的能量,而是释放了一小股、可控的“新生以太”。这股能量足够修复大陆关键的漂浮结构,使星辰的光芒恢复到足以稳定气候的程度,但却不足以让人类文明再次陷入失控的科技狂热。 维拉和艾洛斯对他的行为感到震惊,但最终不得不接受这个既非停滞也非失控的中间道路。夜语者们发现他们的终极武器被无害化,逐渐退回阴影中,但世界已然不同。 《星辰之歌》的结尾并非一个完美的句号,而是一个新的开端。凯伦,这个最初的制图师,成为了新时代的“编曲者”。埃瑟利亚的人们开始学习如何与这种可控的能量共存,理解了先驱者的教诲:真正的力量,在于平衡与节制,而非无限的索取。天空中的星辰恢复了生机,但它们的光芒,却带着一丝人类智慧参与塑造的、独一无二的色彩。 本书特色: 世界构建的深度: 详细描绘了一个建立在失落高科技与原始信仰冲突之上的奇幻世界。 哲学思辨: 探讨了科技进步的边界、对历史的继承与修正,以及文明存续的真正代价。 角色动机的复杂性: 没有绝对的邪恶,只有对“正确道路”的不同理解。 谜团的层层递进: 从一张地图开始,逐步揭示一个宏大宇宙级的维护系统的真相。