適讀年齡：8-12歲
今天的繪本故事是《On the Night You Were Born》。這本繪本不像是一個故事，更像是一首讚美新生命的頌歌，繪本中無論是畫面還是文字，都如詩一般的美麗。
作者天馬行空地調集了世間萬物來歌頌新生命誕生：從翩翩起舞的北極熊，到萬里歸鄉的大雁，再到溫柔如水的明月，最後到天堂裏齊鳴的號角。作者以此向世人宣告：每一個孩子都是獨一無二的，都是上天賜予父母珍貴而神聖的禮物！
On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked into see you and the night wind whispered, "life will never be the same."
在你出生的那一晚，月亮微笑着，星星也偷偷的看你，夜風低聲說，“生活永遠不一樣。”
Because there had never been anyone like you... ever in the world.
因爲這世界上從來沒有任何像你一樣的人。
So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain that they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.
所以風和雨他們悄悄的說出你美妙的名字。
The sound of your name is a magical one.
你的名字是多麼的神奇。
Let's say it out loud before we go on.
讓我再念一次你美妙的名字。
It sailed through the farmland high on the breeze...
它在微風中高空飛過...
Over the ocean...
飛過了海洋......
And through the trees...
飛過了森林......
Until everyone heard it and everyone knew of the one and only ever you.
直到每個人都聽到了你的名字，直到每個人都知道了獨一無二的你。
Not once had there been such eyes, such a nose, such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.
從來沒有像你這樣的眼睛，這樣的鼻子，這麼萌萌又可愛的小腳丫。
In fact, I think I'll count to three so you can wiggle your toes for me.
來，等我數到三，你就爲我搖搖你的小腳丫。
When the polar bears heard, they danced until dawn.
當北極熊聽到你的名字，他們爲你慶祝，爲你開心，跳舞直到黎明。
From faraway places, the geese flew home.
大雁爲你激動地從遠方飛回了家。
The moon stayed up until morning next day.
月亮也爲你一直逗留到了第二天早上。
And none of the ladybugs flew away.
所有的七星瓢蟲都在爲你逗留。
So whenever you doubt just how special you are and you wonder who loves you, how much and how far, listen for geese honking high in the sky.
所以每當你懷疑你是多麼的特別，每當你懷疑到底有誰愛你：愛你多少，愛你多久？寶貝，聽那高聳在天空的大雁。
(They're singing a song to remember you by.)
（他們正在唱一首歌來記住你。）
Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.
或者看那熊在動物園裏睡着了。
(It's because they've been dancing all night for you!)
（因爲他們一直在爲你跳舞！直到疲憊。）
Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.
或者聽那風聲。
(Listen closely... It's whispering your name again!)
（仔細聽...它們在悄悄說着你的名字！）
If the moon stays up until morning one day, or a ladybug lands and decides to stay, or a little bird sits at your window awhile, it's because they're all hoping to see you smile.
如果月亮一直呆到了第二天早上，或者瓢蟲決定落地逗留，又或者一隻小鳥坐在你的窗邊看着你，那都是因爲他們都希望看到你的微笑。
For never before in story or rhyme (not even once upon a time) has the world ever known a you, my friend, and it never will, not ever again...
因爲這樣獨一無二的你從來沒有出現在任何故事或者童話裏（甚至一次都沒有），我的朋友，它永遠永遠不會再有這樣的你......
Heaven blew every trumpet and played every horn on the wonderful, marvelous night you were born.
在你出生的那奇妙的一夜，天堂響起了最美妙的音樂。
• END •