Farmer Bailey thinks he has hit a deer while driving his truck, but in the middle of the road lies a man, an enigmatic stranger. He goes home with Farmer Bailey, his memory apparently gone. Weeks pass at the Bailey farm; the stranger seems happy to be around them, and helps with the harvest. Oddly, while trees to the north of the farm turn red and gold with the arrival of fall, Bailey's land seems to be in a state of perpetual summer. One day, the stranger sees geese flying south and knows that he, too, must leave. Not long after that, the leaves at the farm change color and the air turns cool. And every year since, summer lasts a week longer at the Bailey farm than anywhere else. Van Allsburg's story is strangely melancholy, and his straightforward writing is uncannily dry, in contrast to the vivid green and golden landscapes of his paintings. The mood and suspense in this book make it a compelling chance to see the artist take a slight incident and create a truly mysterious event. Ages 4-8. Get our Just a Dream, The Polar Express, Jumanji, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, and Ben's Dream too!
这本书，就像一部伏笔三部曲。首部曲——陌生人的体温。贝利先生最喜欢凉爽的初秋天气，却在这个季节意外撞到一个人。贝利先生赶紧把这个人带回自己的农场，还请医生到家里来。医生说，这个人被碰撞到后脑勺，会暂时失去记忆，过几天，他可能就会想起自己是谁。医生离开时忘了带走体温计，贝利太太叫住他，医生说：“水银柱停在了最低点，你可以把它丢掉了。”为什么体温计坏了？为什么水银柱停在了最低点？这不禁令人猜测：这个陌生人的体温怎么这么低？他，从哪里来呢？二部曲——今晚的风真冷。陌生人不知道扣子和扣眼是做什么用的，不清楚衣服怎么穿，不清楚蒸气是从热腾腾的食物里冒出来的。他对着热汤吹气，贝利太太说：“喔，今晚的风真冷啊！”贝利先生和陌生人一起去农场工作，自己吃力地拿长柄叉铲干草，偶尔停下来休息，喘口气，陌生人不仅不累，而且连一滴汗也没流？陌生人究竟是什么的化身？三部曲——陌生人离开后，树叶全变成最鲜艳的颜色。陌生人爬上贝利农场最高的山丘，看到了令他困惑的景象：远方的树叶红黄鲜艳，而围在贝利农场附近的却全是绿色。他摘下一片叶子，用颤抖的手吹走了绿叶，同时也吹醒了自己的记忆。陌生人离开贝利农场以后，一夜之间，四周的树叶全变成了鲜艳的颜色。每年秋天，贝利农场的窗上都会出现一行冰霜结成的字：“明年秋天再见！” 作者善用“拼图原理”，以绝妙文图述说故事。
By Chris Van Allsburg, Hardcover, Simplified Chinese characters, 28 pages, 10.75"x9.25"
