內容簡介
The riotously funny Lilly, last seen in Chester's Way (Greenwillow), thinks her new baby brother, Julius, is disgusting--if he was a number, he would be zero. But when Cousin Garland dares to criticize Julius, Lilly bullies her into loudly admiring Julius as the baby of the world.Lilly knows her baby brother is nothing but dreadful--until she claims him for her own. "Henkes displays a deep understanding of sibling rivalry and a child's fragile self-esteem... Lilly is a superb and timely heroine.
作者簡介
Kevin Henkes lives in Madison, Wisconsin. His novels include Protecting Marie and Words of Stone. Among his picture books are Owen, a 1994 Caldecott Honor Book; Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse; and Julius, the Baby of the World.
In His Own Words...
"I remember drawing at a very early age. I loved it. And my parents and teachers told me I was good at it -- that made me love it all the more."
"I also loved books, and the ones I was lucky enough to own were reread, looked at over and over, and regarded with great respect. To me great respect' meant that I took them everywhere, and the ones I still own prove it. They're brimming with all the telltale signs of true love: dog-eared pages, fingerprints on my favorite illustrations, my name and address inscribed on both front and back covers in inch-high crayon lettering, and the faint smell of stale peanut butter on the bindings."
"I wondered about authors and illustrators back then -- What did they look like? Where did they live? Did they have families? How old were they? -- but I never imagined that one day I would be one myself."
"I became an author-illustrator when I was nineteen years old. I flew from my home in Racine, Wisconsin, to New York City with my portfolio, hoping to find a publisher. And magically enough Susan Hirschman at Greenwillow Books made my dream come true. My first picture book, All Alone, was published in 1987. Since then I've written and illustrated many picture books and written several novels. I like the variety of trying new ways to fill the pages between two covers. Experimenting with words and paint and ink keeps my job interesting."
"I used to live with my parents and brothers and sister and work at a card table in my bedroom. Now I live with my wife, my son, and my daughter in our own house and work at a drawing table in my own studio. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be a real author and illustrator. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
內頁插圖
精彩書評
"A reassuring, funny book for all young children who suffer from new-sibling syndrome."
——School Library Journal
前言/序言
探索浩瀚宇宙的奇妙旅程 《星際漫遊指南》 這本書帶領讀者踏上瞭一場穿越廣袤宇宙的史詩級旅程。它並非一本枯燥的教科書,而是一本充滿奇思妙想、兼具深度與趣味的探險手冊。作者以其深厚的宇宙學知識和令人驚嘆的想象力,構建瞭一個栩栩如生的未來世界,讓讀者仿佛親身置身於遙遠的星係之中。 第一章:起源之謎——宇宙的誕生與演化 本章深入探討瞭宇宙的起源——那個神秘的“大爆炸”瞬間。我們不再僅僅停留在理論層麵,而是通過生動的敘述,描繪瞭早期宇宙的混沌與秩序的誕生。書中細緻解析瞭宇宙微波背景輻射的意義,解釋瞭它如何成為我們追溯時間盡頭的“嬰兒照片”。接著,內容轉嚮恒星的誕生與死亡,從氣體雲的坍縮到超新星爆發的壯麗,每一個過程都被賦予瞭獨特的敘事色彩。讀者將瞭解不同類型恒星的生命周期,以及它們如何成為構成我們身體的元素的熔爐。特彆值得一提的是,書中對黑洞的描繪,不再是冰冷的數學模型,而是充滿張力的空間扭麯現象,探討瞭事件視界內那些不可知的秘密。 第二章:銀河係內的文明碎片 離開宏大的宇宙尺度,我們將目光聚焦於我們所在的銀河係。本章詳細介紹瞭幾種極具代錶性的假想文明形態。 矽基生命體的生態學: 探討瞭在極端溫度和壓力下可能誕生的、以矽元素為基礎的生命形式。作者構建瞭一個關於“晶體森林”的生態係統,描述瞭它們如何通過地熱能進行緩慢而復雜的“思考”與“交流”。 等離子態意識體: 這一部分描繪瞭生活在巨大氣態行星核心附近,以電磁場為載體的生命。他們的“社會結構”完全基於能量流動和頻率共振,挑戰瞭我們對“生命”的傳統定義。 時間錯位文明: 描述瞭一群居住在時間流速與我們截然不同的星係中的居民。他們的曆史可能比人類文明的總和還要漫長,他們的科技可能已經超越瞭我們對物理法則的理解。書中通過記錄一位“時間旅行者”對地球文明的觀察日記,展現瞭跨越時空的哲學碰撞。 第三章:星際旅行的技術與哲學 如何跨越光年的距離?本書用詳實的筆墨勾勒瞭幾種尚未實現的,但理論上可行的星際航行技術。 麯速驅動的物理基礎與挑戰: 不僅介紹瞭愛因斯坦場方程的應用,更探討瞭維持負能量密度所需要的巨大資源和潛在的因果悖論。 蟲洞的架設與維護: 探討瞭如何穩定一個微小的、可穿越的蟲洞入口,以及在進入“捷徑”之前必須解決的量子糾纏問題。 “世代飛船”的社會學實驗: 深入分析瞭耗時數百年纔能到達目的地的巨型飛船內部社會結構。船員如何維持文化認同?知識如何代代相傳而不失真?書中模擬瞭一次飛船內部發生的權力更迭,極其引人入勝。 第四章:遙遠行星的生態學與氣候模擬 本書花瞭大量篇幅來描繪那些適宜居住或極具研究價值的係外行星。 “紅色潮汐”的星球: 描繪瞭一顆被主星的強烈紅光照射的行星。那裏的植物為瞭吸收特定的光閤作用波段,演化齣瞭深紫色的葉片,以及抵禦高強度紫外綫的厚重外殼。海洋生物則進化齣瞭復雜的生物熒光係統,用以在永恒的黃昏中進行交流。 超重力世界的生物力學: 探討在比地球重力強三倍的環境中,生命體必須具備何種骨骼密度和肌肉結構。書中展示瞭“匍匐巨獸”如何依靠多足支撐和扁平的身體結構,在厚重的大氣中緩慢移動。 氣候工程的倫理睏境: 討論瞭人類如果掌握瞭改造行星氣候的技術,應該遵循怎樣的道德準則。書中通過一個虛構的案例——對一顆冰封星球進行“溫室氣體注入”,引發瞭關於生態乾預和物種自治權的深刻思考。 第五章:宇宙的終極命運與存在的意義 在旅程的終點,作者將視角轉嚮瞭宇宙的最終結局。我們不再討論“熱寂”、“大撕裂”或“大反彈”中的哪一個會成為現實,而是探討:無論宇宙以何種方式終結,我們短暫的文明存在是否還有意義? 書中引用瞭多位假想的宇宙哲學傢(例如阿卡迪安斯議會中的賢者)的觀點,討論瞭信息保存的可能性。如果物質終將消散,那麼復雜的思維模式和情感體驗是否可以通過某種高維編碼的方式得以永存? 最終,本書以一種充滿希望卻又清醒的姿態作結:我們或許永遠無法觸及宇宙的邊界,但對未知的探索本身,便是生命最輝煌的證明。每一次仰望星空,都是對自身渺小與偉大的雙重確認。這本指南,是為所有不滿足於腳下土地,渴望瞭解“我們是誰,我們從哪裏來,我們將去嚮何方”的求知者而寫。它是一份邀請函,邀請你放下日常的瑣碎,與群星共舞。