The Story of Ferdinand

　　兒童繪本史上的不老經典──自1936年在美國出版，至今逾八十年，被譯成六十多種語言，跨越種族文化的疆界，受到世界各地孩子的喜愛，被譽為「永不絕版」的兒童繪本。



　　改編成喜劇動畫躍上大螢幕──2017年由好萊塢著名動畫團隊「藍天工作室」（《冰原歷險記》系列、《荷頓奇遇記》、《里約大冒險》）改編製作，二十世紀福斯影片公司發行，登上大螢幕，入圍金球獎最佳動畫電影。



　　「你為什麼不去和其他的小公牛玩呢？」媽媽問。



　　費迪南搖搖頭說：「我比較喜歡坐在這裡，我可以靜靜的聞一聞花香。」



　　媽媽終於知道費迪南不會寂寞。



　　牠是一個了解孩子的媽媽，牠讓費迪南去做牠想做的事情。



　　從前從前，在西班牙有隻名叫費迪南的公牛，從小就不像其他同伴跑跑跳跳鬥來鬥去，只喜歡獨自、靜靜的坐在最愛的橡樹下，聞一整天的花香。有一天，牠不小心被大黃蜂螫到，驚痛得大叫大跳、橫衝直撞，而被誤認為最強壯凶猛的牛，載去馬德里參加其他牛爭著要去的鬥牛大會。當費迪南跑到鬥牛場的中央，全場觀眾都準備好要目睹牠與鬥牛士的精采對決時，沒想到牠卻慢條斯理的坐了下來，因為看臺上女士們的頭上有某種牠熟悉而十分喜愛的東西……



　　——中文簡介擷取自《愛花的牛》，遠流出版    　

A true classic with a timeless message

All the other bulls run, jump, and butt their heads together in fights. Ferdinand, on the other hand, would rather sit and smell the flowers. So what will happen when Ferdinand is picked for the bullfights in Madrid?

The Story of Ferdinand has inspired, enchanted, and provoked readers ever since it was first published in 1936 for its message of nonviolence and pacifism. In WWII times, Adolf Hitler ordered the book burned in Nazi Germany, while Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, granted it privileged status as the only non-communist children's book allowed in Poland.

The preeminent leader of Indian nationalism and civil rights, Mahatma Gandhi--whose nonviolent and pacifistic practices went on to inspire Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.--even called it his favorite book.

The story was adapted by Walt Disney into a short animated film entitled Ferdinand the Bull in 1938. Ferdinand the Bull won the 1938 Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons).

Wilbur Monroe Leaf (aka Munro Leaf) (1905-1976) was an American author of children’s literature who wrote and illustrated many books during his long career. His books were illustrated by a number of famous artists, including Ludwig Bemelmans, Robert Lawson, and Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss). He is best known for The Story of Ferdinand (1936).

Robert Lawson (1892-1957) received his art training at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts. His favorite medium, pen and ink, is used expressively and with detail in his black and white illustrations in The Story of Ferdinand (by Munro Leaf). In addition to illustrating many children’s books, including Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Robert Lawson also wrote and illustrated a number of his own books for children. In 1940, he was awarded the Caldecott Medal for his picture book illustrations in They Were Strong and Good and in 1944, he was awarded the Newbery Medal for his middle grade novel Rabbit Hill.