Numberthestars数星星英文版原文LoisLowry.docx

Numberthestars数星星英文版原文LoisLowry.docx

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Introduction

It’shardtobelievethatIwroteNumbertheStarsmorethantwentyyearsago.ItseemslikeyesterdaythatIansweredthephoneonasnowyJanuarymorningandreceivedthenewsthatithadbeenawardedthe1990NewberyMedal.

Mostbookspublishedthatlongagohavefadedintoapleasant,undisturbedretirementondustylibraryshelves,orbecomeanoccasionaltopicforaresearchpaper.ButNumbertheStarsseemstohaveacquireditsownlongandvibrantlife;notadaygoesbythatIdon’thearfromapassionatereaderofthebook—someofthemparentswhorememberitfromtheirchildhoodandarenowreadingitwiththeirownchildren.

Ithinkreadersofeveryagematchthemselvesagainsttheprotagonistsofbookstheylove.WouldIhavedonethat?

theyaskthemselvesastheyfollowafictionalcharacterthroughanovel.WhatchoicewouldIhavemade?

Andten—theageofAnnemarieinNumbertheStars,andtheapproximateageofmostofthebook’sreaders—isanagewhenyoungpeoplearebeginningtodevelopastrongsetofpersonalethics.Theywanttobehonorablepeople.Theywanttodotherightthing.Andtheyarebeginningtorealizethattheworldtheyliveinisaplacewheretherightthingisoftenhard,sometimesdangerous,andfrequentlyunpopular.

Sotheyfollowastoryaboutagirltheirage,caughtinafrighteningsituation,whomustmakedecisions.Shecouldtaketheeasywayout.Shecouldturnherbackonherfriend.（AsthereadersofNumbertheStarsgrowolderandreadotherHolocaustliterature,they’llfindthatmanypeopleinothercountries,notDenmark,didjustthat）.YoungreadersrejoicewhenAnnemarietakesadeepbreath,entersthewoods,facesthedanger,standsuptotheenemy,andtriumphs.

Whenthebookwasnewlypublished,itfounditswayintothehandsandheartsofchildrenwhohadreadaboutbutneverexperiencedwar.Now,sadly,IhaveheardfromyoungreaderswhohavelostaparentoranolderbrotherinIraqorAfghanistan.Weallknowhoweasyitis,andhowfutile,toblameandtohate.

IthinkthehistoryofDenmarkhasmuchtoteachusall.

Thebookhasbeenpublishedinmanycountriesnow,translatedintocountlessdifferentlanguagesfromHungariantoHebrew.EverywherechildrenarestillreadingabouttheintegritythatasmallScandinavianpopulationshowedalmostseventyyearsago.Booksdochangelives,Iknow;andmanyreadershavetoldmethatNumbertheStarschangedtheirswhentheywereyoung,thatitmadethemthinkaboutbothcrueltyandcourage.“Itwassomethingthatshapedmyideaofhowpeopleshouldbetreated,”wroteayoungwomanrecently,recallingherownfourthgradeexperiencewiththebook.

TheDanishfriendwhooriginallytoldmethestoryofherchildhoodinCopenhagenin1943,andwhobecametheprototypeforthefictionalAnnemarie,isanoldwomannow.SoamI.Webothlovethinkingofthechildrenreadingthestorytoday,comingtoitforthefirsttimeandrealizingthatonce,forabrieftimeandinasmallplace,agroupofprejudice-freepeoplehonoredthehumanityofothers.

LoisLowry

1WhyAreYouRunning?

“I’llraceyoutothecorner,Ellen!

”Annemarieadjustedthethickleatherpackonherbacksothatherschoolbooksbalancedevenly.“Ready?

”Shelookedatherbestfriend.

Ellenmadeaface.“No,”shesaid,laughing.“YouknowIcan’tbeatyou—mylegsaren’taslong.Can’twejustwalk,likecivilizedpeople?

”Shewasastockyten-year-old,unlikelankyAnnemarie.

“WehavetopracticefortheathleticmeetonFriday—IknowI’mgoingtowinthegirls’racethisweek.Iwassecondlastweek,butI’vebeenpracticingeveryday.Comeon,Ellen,”Annemariepleaded,eyeingthedistancetothenextcorneroftheCopenhagenstreet.“Please?

”

Ellenhesitated,thennoddedandshiftedherownrucksackofbooksagainsthershoulders.“Oh,allright.Ready,”shesaid.

“Go!

”shoutedAnnemarie,andthetwogirlswereoff,racingalongtheresidentialsidewalk.Annemarie’ssilveryblondhairflewbehindher,andEllen’sdarkpigtailsbouncedagainsthershoulders.

“Waitforme!

”wailedlittleKirsti,leftbehind,butthetwooldergirlsweren’tlistening.

Annemarieoutdistancedherfriendquickly,eventhoughoneofhershoescameuntiedasshespedalongthestreetcalledØsterbrogade,pastthesmallshopsandcafésofherneighborhoodhereinnortheastCopenhagen.Laughing,sheskirtedanelderlyladyinblackwhocarriedashoppingbagmadeofstring.Ayoungwomanpushingababyinacarriagemovedasidetomakeway.Thecornerwasjustahead.

Annemarielookedup,panting,justasshereachedthecorner.Herlaughterstopped.Herheartseemedtoskipabeat.

“Halte!

”thesoldierorderedinasternvoice.

TheGermanwordwasasfamiliarasitwasfrightening.Annemariehadhearditoftenenoughbefore,butithadneverbeendirectedatheruntilnow.

Behindher,Ellenalsoslowedandstopped.Far