The Night Gardener

 
　　威廉是位住在孤兒院的男孩，有印象以來，居住的天空總是灰撲撲的，而居住在此的居民則是了無生氣…。 一天，一位神秘的夜晚園丁出現後，魔法便隨之出現。第一天，孤兒院旁的老樹變成了一隻巨大的貓頭鷹；另一天，一位居民後院的大樹則變成了一隻大貓…因為這樣突如其來的改變，孤兒院的孩子們開始出來玩耍，社區的人們也開始出門，熱絡的觀看並彼此討論此奇景…然而，真正的魔法是---大自然從此翻轉了小鎮的面貌並改變了人心。而對男孩而言，這位夜晚園丁所播出的種子，已深深扎根在男孩心土裡，他要守護大自然給全人類的禮讚。
 
　　Terry Fan與Eric Fan兄弟檔的細膩插畫，讓人有在夜晚誤闖神秘馬戲團的錯覺，創作風格和畫面氛圍的營造，令人聯想到知名美國插畫家--愛德華‧戈里 (Edward Gorey)，然而戈里的作品風格以黑色詼諧和驚悚恐怖著稱，超現實的畫面強化了疏離感而《The Night Gardener》則在蕭條孤單的氣息裡，蘊藏著絲絲溫暖。（文／博客來編譯）

　　"Something was happening on Grimloch Lane. Something good." One day, William discovers that the tree outside his window has been sculpted into a wise owl. Each day, more topiaries appear, each one more beautiful than the last. Soon, William's grey little town is full of colour and life. And, though the mysterious night gardener disappears as suddenly as he appeared, William and his town are changed forever. With breathtaking illustrations and spare, sweet text, this masterpiece about enjoying the beauty of nature is sure to become an instant classic. A best-selling debut picture book about an orphan whose life is transformed by a mysterious night gardener bringing colour and life to his town.