The Highland Falcon Thief
M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman
ISBN：9781529013061 作者：M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman
出版社： Macmillan Children's Books 出版时间：2020 阅读时间：2023.7.10~7.18 编号：497
The Highland Falcon Thief 是第一本我在还没有进行共读的时候，完成阅读的英文书，这种感觉还是挺不错的。
本书讲述的是小主人公Hal因为母亲待产，被舅舅接上了一辆名为Highland Falcon的列车，准备周游英国。本来觉得这次的旅程可能十分苦闷，但是出乎意料地有趣。不仅认识到新的朋友，还打开了一个新的世界。
上车不久后车上就出现状况了，Hal发现车上多了一名不明的乘客，而且其他乘客还丢失了重要的财物，其中事态最严重的是王妃的钻石被替换成了假货。面对不善的乘客的质疑，Hal需要找到事件的真相，为他朋友带回清白。
故事情节推进快速，而且案件的水平也不低，犯人的工具我是猜到了，就是没有猜到犯人本身是谁，哈哈。角色的描写和塑造很丰满，有魅力和魄力的舅舅Nat，古灵精怪，行动力强的Lenny，还有善良和聪明的主角。书本的插图很有意思，在文中，这些图片由主角所画，也为之后真相的揭露提供了很关键的证据。
这个故事是火车冒险系列的第一本，完成的质量还是挺高的。
刚开始看的时候不是很适应，特别是对于一些不知道意思的单词，需要不断停下来查词典，很打扰自己的阅读体验，看得也很痛苦。我心里在质疑这究竟是不是儿童读物呀，为什么会这么难？（因为这本书是面向外国8~12岁孩子的）但是后来我发现了一种可以提高阅读速度的方法，即阅读的时候直接跳过不懂的单词，抓句子的主谓宾，而且靠联系上下文的方式也能看懂七八成句子的意思，用这种连猜带蒙的阅读方式其实也没有丢失很重要的信息。一些重要的词汇，当实在不翻译就无法推进阅读的时候，那就直接查吧！其他与主线无关的单词可以暂时跳过。这种方法很实用，下次再试试！
文摘
We are lucky that we're nobodies. Nobodies have no formal duties.(p9)
-Do you know what would help your mom more than anything? -Me being out of the way. Hal looked at the floor. -No. You having a great holiday with me and coming back with stories to tell her while she recovers...What will make your mom happy is knowing that you're happy.(p10)
Hal have never seen an adult so in love with a train before, and he found himself smiling as his uncle enthusiastically spouted facts about it.(p11)
They keep me aware of the whole world——not just me in my own time and place. It's good to remember that there are other places on the planet, filled with wonderful people. I like to consider what they might be doing-are they rising with the rosy-fingered dawn, while I am gazing at the stars?(p28)
It's hard to have an adventure with a smart phone in your pocket. It stops you from reaing real maps and talking to people. I don't want to stare at a screen. I want to look at the landscape. I want to see the world.(p29)
The Highland Falcon blew her whistle, and Hal felt a thrill as the train rocketed across the high bridge, the water shimmering far below. In the distance, the river became the sea, rolling out to meet a bright blue sky. (p48)
It's tough being the eldest. You get ignored. You have to sharing everything, and you're always told you're got to set an example.(p64)
The railways changed society in different ways, but in particular, how we measure and record time. ... My books are stories of travel, but they are also about how railways have changed the world.(p90)
Often the best place to hide something is in full view.(p170)
Only four days had passed since he'd climbed aboard, but the Highland Falcon felt like an old friend, and he was sad to say goodbye.(p257)