具體描述
				
				
					編輯推薦
    適讀人群 :1歲及以上                                   世界知名童書大師艾瑞˙卡爾的代錶作之一,艾瑞˙卡爾擅長用鮮明的色彩、豐富的圖像,融閤自創一格的拼貼,錶現齣兒童純真且充滿幻想的世界。                 
內容簡介
   With over 300,000 copies sold since its publication in 1985, The Very Busy Spider is well on its way to becoming a modern classic. Follow an industrious spider as she carefully spins her web. A cow, a pig, and other farm animals want her to play--but a busy spider needs to finish her work, or there'll be no dinner. 
        勤快的蜘蛛忙著織網,對於馬、牛、羊…的邀請一點也不心動,隻是不停的織,有趣的是它織的網是凸齣來的,寶寶真的可以摸到喔!     
作者簡介
   Eric Carle is the author and illustrator of more than seventy books for children, many of them bestsellers. Born in Syracuse, New York, he moved to Germany with his parents when he was six years old. He studied at the Academy of Graphic Arts in Stuttgart before returning to the United States, where he worked as a graphic designer for The New York Times and later as art director for an international advertising agency. His first two books, 1,2,3 to the Zoo and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, gained him immediate international recognition. The latter title, now considered a modern classic, has sold more than 30 million copies and has been translated into forty-eight languages. Eric Carle and his wife, Barbara, divide their time between the mountains of North Carolina and the Florida Keys.  
艾瑞·卡爾,1929年齣生於紐約,1935年隨父母返德國定居。艾瑞·卡爾討厭德國式的教育,權威教育下的學校生活及時代的戰亂,讓他的少年時光並不快樂。戰後,從小就展露繪畫天分且嚮往自由浪漫的艾瑞·卡爾,在中學繪畫老師的推薦及母親的鼓勵下,進入斯圖加特藝術學院學習瞭四年的商業設計,一畢業即在時尚雜誌擔任藝術總監。1952年,艾瑞·卡爾再次踏上他要實現夢想的土地——美國。因緣巧閤,艾瑞·卡爾得到李歐·李奧尼的賞識和推薦,順利開始他在《紐約時報》的工作,發揮美術兼廣告設計的長纔。1960年成立瞭個人工作室,辛勤工作之外,他更渴望蛻變、渴望創作!
  1967年,艾瑞·卡爾首次有機會為孩子的書配上插畫,這次充滿樂趣、大膽發揮創意的過程,讓他感覺暢快淋灕,也引領他日後走嚮為兒童創作圖畫書的道路。他年近40纔開始創作圖畫書,迄今為止,已經創作瞭《棕色的熊、棕色的熊,你在看什麼?》、《好餓的毛毛蟲》、《海馬先生》、《爸爸,我要月亮》等70多本色彩繽紛、富含想象力的拼貼畫風格的圖畫書,被翻譯成瞭多種語言,小讀者遍布世界各地,並榮獲多項世界著名兒童圖畫書奬。他筆下那條最著名的毛毛蟲,已被翻譯成近50種語言版本,銷量突破3300萬,風行世界40餘年。     
內頁插圖
          前言/序言
   
    
				 
				
				
					Title: The Little Bear’s Big Adventure  Author: Penelope Willowbrook Illustrator: Thomas Green Publisher: Cozy Corner Books ISBN: 978-1-23456-789-0 Format: Hardcover Pages: 32 Ages: 2–5 years  ---  A gentle journey of discovery, friendship, and the magic found in everyday moments.  Little Bear, with fur the color of warm honey and eyes that sparkle with perpetual curiosity, wakes one sun-drenched morning with a single, overwhelming desire: to see the Whispering Waterfall. This legendary cascade, spoken of only in hushed tones by the older bears in the den, is rumored to tumble down smooth, moss-covered rocks into a pool so clear you can count the pebbles on the bottom.  The problem is, Little Bear has never been far from the familiar scent of his cozy hollow. The forest beyond the old oak tree is vast, filled with shadows that stretch long in the afternoon light and sounds that might just be the wind—or something else entirely.  His mother, noticing the determined set of his muzzle, offers a comforting hug. “The woods are full of wonder, little one, but they also ask for careful steps. Are you sure you’re ready for such a journey?”  Little Bear nods with fierce conviction. "I packed my favorite acorn, Mama, and I remember which way the sun sets! I have to see the waterfall."  This story is not about conquering mighty peaks or battling mythical beasts; it is about the quiet bravery required to take the first step away from comfort. Little Bear sets off, his small paws padding softly on the forest floor, littered with the rustling remnants of autumn leaves.  Chapter 1: The Winding Path  The initial part of the journey is deceptively easy. The path, worn smooth by deer and perhaps the occasional wandering fox, winds between towering pine trees whose needles release a sharp, clean perfume into the air. Little Bear feels bold, imagining himself a great explorer. He greets a plump, speckled toad sitting patiently by a puddle reflecting the impossibly blue sky.  “Good morning, sir Toad!” Little Bear chirps.  The toad blinks slowly. “Morning, cub. Heading far?”  “To the Whispering Waterfall!” Little Bear announces proudly.  The toad offers a small, wet chuckle. “A long walk for short legs. Watch out for the Bramble Patch; it doesn’t much like visitors.”  Little Bear thanks the toad, clutching the smooth, cool acorn in his paw. The Bramble Patch, he soon discovers, is a tangled fortress of thorny vines, low and menacing, guarding a thicket that seems impenetrable. He circles it once, twice. His eagerness starts to mix with a growing knot of doubt. He is small, and the brambles look hungry.  It is here he meets Finley, a squirrel known throughout the immediate vicinity for his boundless energy and equally boundless collection of misplaced nuts. Finley is currently attempting to pry a particularly stubborn pinecone from a branch twice his size.  “Need a hand, little traveler?” Finley asks, pausing his frantic work.  “I need to get past this wall of thorns to find the waterfall,” Little Bear admits, pointing sadly at the brambles.  Finley hops down, flicking his magnificent tail. “Ah, the thorny tangle! You can’t go through it, you must go under it. See that little dip? The roots of the old maple tree create a tunnel. It’s snug, but dry.”  Following Finley’s energetic directions, Little Bear ducks low, crawling carefully through the cool, dark earth beneath the roots. It smells richly of damp soil and secrets. When he emerges on the other side, dusting bits of earth from his fur, he finds Finley waiting.  “Thank you, Finley! How can I repay you?” Little Bear asks, remembering his manners.  Finley merely winks. “Just tell me what the waterfall sounds like! I’ve been too busy hoarding winter stores to ever make the trek myself.”  And so, Little Bear gains his first companion, a fast-talking, enthusiastic guide who promises to see him as far as the Big Gray Stone.  Chapter 2: The Song of the River  The path continues, growing slightly steeper. The air cools noticeably, carrying with it a new sound—a low, steady rushing, like a thousand quiet voices speaking all at once. This is the sound of moving water, the river leading toward the falls.  As they walk beside the bubbling creek, Little Bear realizes he is thirsty. The creek water looks clear, but he remembers his mother warning him about drinking straight from fast-moving water.  Just as he pauses, considering licking the dew off a nearby broad leaf, they encounter Willow, a wise old river otter known for her intricate knowledge of the waterways. Willow is meticulously cleaning her whiskers after a successful morning fishing.  “You look parched, little ones,” Willow observes, her eyes kind and knowing. “The river is life, but it demands respect. Don’t drink where the water churns fastest.”  She leads them a short distance upstream to a gentle bend where the water slows, forming a small, placid pool ringed by smooth, rounded stones.  “Here,” she instructs softly, “the water has had a moment to rest. Sip gently.”  Little Bear drinks deeply. The water is refreshingly cold, tasting faintly of clean stone and mint. Finley, meanwhile, is delighted to discover a patch of watercress growing along the bank, which he declares to be far superior to any stored nut.  Willow smiles, watching their easy contentment. “The journey isn’t just about reaching the destination, young Bear. It’s about knowing where to stop and truly taste the water along the way. Many rush past the quiet pools, seeking only the roar.”  She gives Little Bear a smooth, silvery pebble she fished from the bottom. “For luck on the final stretch.”  Encouraged by the kindness of the creatures they meet, Little Bear and Finley press on. The sound of the rushing water grows louder, transforming from a murmur into a confident, rhythmic beat.  Chapter 3: The Clearing and the Roar  The woods finally begin to thin. The trees, which had been dense and protective, start to space out, allowing shafts of bright afternoon sunlight to pierce the canopy. Finley stops abruptly, sitting on a low stump, his whiskers twitching nervously.  “This is as far as I go, Little Bear,” Finley says, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. “The ground gets wetter up ahead, and I’m afraid of getting my tail damp. Besides, I spotted a particularly promising patch of black walnuts back near the big maple.”  Little Bear understands. Everyone has their own boundary. He shakes Finley’s paw warmly. “Thank you for showing me the secret way under the thorns. I’ll tell you exactly how loud the waterfall is!”  Alone again, Little Bear takes a deep breath. The roar is now undeniable—a deep, resonant vibration felt more in his chest than heard with his ears. He is nervous, his small heart thumping a fast rhythm against the smooth river stone in his paw. What if it’s too big? What if he slips?  He steps out from the final line of trees into a wide, sunlit clearing.  And there it is.  The Whispering Waterfall is not just a cascade; it is a shimmering curtain of white noise and spray, plunging from a high shelf of dark basalt rock into the pool below. The water doesn't just fall; it seems to dance, catching the sunlight in a million fleeting rainbows. The spray mists the air, making the ferns on the bank look impossibly green and vibrant.  Little Bear approaches the edge of the pool slowly, his boots sinking slightly into the damp, springy moss. He kneels down near where Willow suggested. The water here is calm, deep, and astonishingly clear. He can see the multi-colored river stones, just as the stories promised, arranged in peaceful patterns on the bottom.  He doesn't need to climb higher or cross any perilous gaps. The reward is simply being there, witnessing this grand, natural spectacle. He dips his paws into the cool spray, feeling refreshed not just physically, but emotionally.  He sits for a long time, watching the constant movement, listening to the unified roar that somehow manages to sound both powerful and deeply soothing—a perfect, natural song. The acorn he packed feels heavy and unnecessary now; the real treasures were the shared moments of guidance and the courage he found within himself.  As the sun begins its slow descent, casting long, golden shadows across the clearing, Little Bear knows it is time to head home. He turns away from the waterfall, not with regret, but with a quiet satisfaction. The journey back will be familiar, but he will not be the same little bear who set out that morning. He carries the sound of the waterfall in his memory and the warmth of new friendships in his heart, ready to share his grand adventure with his mother, and perhaps one day, inspire another small bear to take their own careful steps into the wide, wonderful woods.  The Little Bear’s Big Adventure is a beautifully illustrated ode to self-reliance, the kindness of strangers, and the profound joy of achieving a goal through thoughtful perseverance. It reminds young readers that the greatest adventures often lie just beyond the edge of their own comfort zone, waiting to be discovered one small step at a time.