彩虹．繪本．e想世界

★內容簡介：

每戶人家一定都有爐子，而每個爐子上一定會燒著一鍋鍋滾燙沸騰的水；只是當水煮沸後，除了拿來飲用之外，還能從中窺見什麼？面對這樣平凡無奇的事物，一般人多是視而不見，但是有一個六歲的小男孩，卻被爐子上沸騰的水給深深吸引，看著沸騰的水滾動，看著鍋蓋隨著沸騰的水上下震動，進而發現水蒸氣的奧妙。這個從平凡事物中窺見大秘密的男孩，就是日後被人稱為「蒸氣大王」的瓦特。

★Introduction of THE SECRET OF THE STEAM:

When James Watt was a boy, he was weak and sickly, but he was attracted to the power of nature. Because he was curious about the steam from a tea kettle, he was able to invent the steam engine and usher in the industrial revolution in Europe.

書名：《水蒸氣的秘密》、《The Secret of the Steam》
價格：各0.99
語言：中文／英文
版本：1.0
發行公司：彩虹國際文化有限公司
技術提供：奇多比行動軟體

☉作者簡介：

陳柏蓉 Celine Chen

國立中正大學中文研究所畢業，曾從事教育、音樂、網路等方面工作。喜歡看書，沈迷於文字帶來的奇想異事；喜歡音樂，特別偏愛人聲發出來的天籟；喜歡旅行，藉由到處走走解放自己的心靈；喜歡小孩，因為兒童的心靈世界最是純淨。希望筆下敘述的故事，小朋友都能喜歡。

☉繪者簡介：

張睿洋 Ruei-Yang Chang

藝術學院主修西洋藝術史，但畢業後還是個半調子，搞不清楚達文西和達芬奇，真是學海無涯啊。

★愛的導讀

瓦特能觀察到一般人所看不到的事物，並非他天生擁有什麼特殊才能。相反地，瓦特從一生下來就是個體弱多病的孩子，因為身體虛弱讓他變得憂愁膽小，學校成績除了數學之外其他都不理想。然而，不喜歡上學並不代表不喜歡讀書，瓦特從小就喜歡看各類書籍，喜歡鑽研在書海領域裡。所以雖然學校成績不佳，但是在其他書籍中倒是累積不少知識。

 小時候家境不錯，但是在十七歲那年，最疼愛照顧瓦特的媽媽不幸過世了，爸爸的事業也出了狀況，生活上頓時出現大難題。一般人遇到類似情境，往往一蹶不振，不過瓦特卻在此時打定主意，要朝數學科學領域發展，致力研究儀器工具。學成技巧之後，瓦特回到家鄉打算開一家科學器材店，卻因資金身分缺乏屢屢受挫。面對這樣的打擊，瓦特並不氣餒，反而更加倍努力，也因此得到許多專家學者的青睞。

 由於瓦特的積極努力，加上超群出眾的技巧，格拉斯哥大學託付瓦特修理一台紐考門蒸氣機。瓦特接受所託，將研究重心重新放在蒸氣機上，認真專研了二十幾年的光陰，最後終於在1780年代發明了促成工業革命的蒸氣機，「蒸氣大王」的封號也自此跟隨著他。

 瓦特沒有特別的才能，沒有一帆風順的境遇，能得此成就，完全憑藉他靈敏的觀察力與奮鬥不懈的精神。所以在享用瓦特的發明之際，我們更該學習瓦特認真的態度和不向逆境低頭的豪氣。（文／鄭思婷）

★The Moral of THE SECRET OF THE STEAM:

When James Watt was born he was weak and often sick. Because of this he often worried and was shy. Except for math, his grades at school were not especially good. However, while he did not like school, this did not mean that he also did not like to read. Throughout his childhood, Watt loved reading all types of books. Although his grades may have been poor, he accumulated a lot of knowledge from the different books he read.

Watt’s family was rather well off, but when he was seventeen the person who loved him the most, his mother, passed away, and his father had problems with his career. So, there were a number of difficulties in Watt’s life at that time. When ordinary people encounter such a situation they normally wilt from the challenge, but Watt made up his mind to go study math and science and devoted himself to the instruments and tools of research. After he learned the techniques, Watt returned to his hometown and planned to open a scientific instruments shop. However, this venture was not successful due to his limited capital. When faced with this difficulty, Watt didn’t give up, and even worked harder, so he received a lot of attention from experts and scholars.

Because of his hardworking attitude and outstanding techniques, the University of Glasgow asked Watt to repair its Newcomen steam engine and Watt accepted this task. He refocused his attention on the steam engine and spent more than twenty years on the subject. Finally, he invented a new steam engine that ushered in the industrial revolution in 1780. The name “King of the Steam” followed him ever since then. Watt didn’t have any special abilities nor was he particularly lucky in life or successful. The reason he was able to achieve so much was due to his sensitive observations and unflagging spirit. Therefore, while we are enjoying Watt’s invention, we should also learn from his serious and positive attitude.

☉專業中、外語人士配音，利用獨特的聲音表情，帶領孩子輕鬆進入美語故事情境。
☉本故事主題為「從平凡中窺見大秘密」。閱讀本故事的孩子，能夠習得願景力、堅毅力、惜物力等優質生命能力，幫助孩子體認生命的美好，並建構正向的觀念，進而產生行為的改變。

☉The professional voice actors use unique character voices and expression in their narration, which is sure to attract children and lead them into the wonderful English-story environment.

☉The theme of the story is “how something ordinary can produce something extraordinary.” Through reading this story, children are able to learn about qualities such as responsiveness, bravery and tolerance as they relate to life strengthening.

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 （中文版）　　（English Version）