交換日記

認識Eric Carle 的開始：《The Very Hungry Caterpillar》、《123 to the Zoo》、《Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See》。

每每在讀Eric Carle 的這些書給小孩聽時，都會有不同的發現，覺得Eric Carle 真是很了解兒童心理的插畫家。除了抽象拼貼技法的童趣感、吸引人的豐富色彩、及簡潔的構圖外，最有趣應該是，每一個主題都能讓小讀者有參與感。

在《The Very Hungry Caterpillar》裡，毛毛蟲因為太餓了，要吃好多食物。特別是每種食物都有個小洞，這些小洞的用意除了表現毛毛蟲吃過的痕跡，也讓小讀者的手可以伸到這些精心設計的 小書洞裡，小小的手指就像毛毛蟲，在書頁間鑽來鑽去，吃著美味的食物。

《123 to the Zoo》，每頁的場景是火車的每一節車廂，每一節車廂都載著不同的動物，火車開往動物園的途中，可以認識不同的動物、和數字1到10。別出心裁的是，Eric Carle 在每一節車廂都設計了一隻串場的小老鼠，小老鼠和動物們有不同的互動姿態，遇到蛇還會躲在車廂邊，不敢靠近。

《Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See》的互動隱藏在詩文的韻律裡，藉著前一種動物們看到的另一種動物，串起整本故事。韻文的重覆朗讀，很快就讓小讀者記得動物們的英文名字，很適合用來做英語學習的起步。

很喜歡 Eric Carle 的一句話：
Carle says: “With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates—will they be friendly?

I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.”

好的童書能讓孩子即使到了陌生的環境，都能覺得快樂而不害怕。每個孩子都有與生俱來的創造力和渴望學習的心，我想父母能給予的協助，就是營造一個有趣學習的環境。


:::: 關於Eric Carle ::::
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art's web site
http://www.picturebookart.org/

The Official Eric Carle Web Site
http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html