柿子熟了
The Persimmons Are Ripe
Author | 文字作者
Lijiao Che (车丽娇)
Illustrator | 图画作者
Lijiao Che (车丽娇)
Jiangsu Phoenix Children's Publishing House (江苏凤凰少年儿童出版社)
2023
Description | 简介
金色的秋天，枝头挂满了红彤彤的柿子，一场大自然的“自助餐”悄悄开始了！喜鹊和松鼠先来品尝香甜的果实，一阵秋风吹过，熟透的柿子“啪嗒”掉在地上，又引来了刺猬、麻雀、老鼠和蚂蚁。随着柿子一点点被吃掉，剩下的果肉慢慢融入泥土，连地下的蚯蚓也感受到了甜蜜的滋味。从枝头到地面，再到泥土深处，一颗小小的柿子串联起无数生命，展现了一场充满诗意的秋日盛宴，以及大自然生生不息的循环。
Autumn has arrived, and bright orange-red persimmons hang from the branches like little lanterns. A feast in nature is about to begin! Magpies and squirrels are the first to enjoy the sweet fruit. When an autumn breeze sends a ripe persimmon tumbling to the ground, hedgehogs, sparrows, mice, and ants arrive for their share. As the fruit gradually disappears, its remaining pulp returns to the soil, where even earthworms benefit from nature's sweetness. From the treetops to the ground and deep into the earth, one little persimmon connects a whole community of living creatures in this poetic celebration of autumn and the endless cycles of nature.
Why We Recommend It
一本将自然科普与中国传统美学巧妙融合的原创绘本，曾获首届东方娃娃原创绘本奖优秀奖。作者车丽娇以兼具写实与写意的工笔花鸟画风格，描绘秋日柿树、飞鸟、昆虫与乡野景色，温暖明亮的柿子红与细腻的笔触共同营造出富有诗意的东方秋景。故事以一颗柿子的变化为线索，让孩子自然理解动物取食、果实分解、养分回归土壤等生态过程，感受生命之间的相互联系。画面中隐藏的瓢虫、蜗牛等细节鼓励孩子反复观察、预测和发现。柿子也是中国传统文化中象征丰收与吉祥的果实，“柿”与“事”谐音，常寄托“事事如意”的美好祝愿。这本书既是生动的自然启蒙读物，也是一场融合中国花鸟画艺术、季节文化与生态智慧的美育体验。
An award-winning original Chinese picture book that beautifully combines nature education with traditional Chinese artistic aesthetics. Illustrator Lijiao Che draws inspiration from gongbi (工笔), the meticulous style of Chinese bird-and-flower painting, using delicate details, expressive compositions, and warm persimmon-red tones to capture the beauty of autumn. Following a single persimmon from tree to ground and eventually into the soil, the story introduces young readers to ecological relationships, animal feeding behaviors, decomposition, and nutrient cycling. Hidden details, including ladybugs and other tiny creatures, encourage careful observation and repeated exploration. Persimmons also carry cultural significance in China, symbolizing autumn harvests and good fortune; the Chinese word for persimmon, shi (柿), sounds like the word for "things" (事), inspiring the blessing shishi ruyi (事事如意), meaning "May everything go as you wish." Blending science, visual storytelling, and Chinese cultural symbolism, this book offers a poetic introduction to the interconnectedness of nature.
Reading & Activity Ideas
Autumn Nature Hunt: Look for colorful leaves, fruits, seeds, insects, and signs of seasonal change during an outdoor walk. Follow the Persimmon: Use picture cards to sequence the fruit's journey from tree to ground to soil, identifying which animals benefit along the way. Hidden Creature Search: Examine the illustrations to find ladybugs, snails, and other small animals. Persimmon Art: Create persimmon paintings inspired by traditional Chinese gongbi bird-and-flower art, using warm orange and red colors. Decomposition Observation: Observe how fallen leaves or fruit scraps change over time in a supervised compost activity. Chinese Wordplay: Introduce the homophones 柿 (shì, persimmon) and 事 (shì, things), and explore the blessing 事事如意.