瘋媽媽

由簡·萊斯利·康莉編著的《瘋媽媽》用真實而自然的筆觸描寫了上世紀八十年代發生在美國一個小城市貧民區中的一個故事。以平樸的語句記敘了原本有些調皮搗蛋的孩子弗農與鄰近街區的怪人——被稱為"瘋婆子"的麥可辛以及她的弱智兒子羅納德之間的交往過程。一開始，弗農和其他孩子一起捉弄嘲笑那對奇怪的母子倆。后來，在好心的安妮老師的安排下，弗農走近了這對母子，并費心盡力地幫助他們。可是，他很痛心麥可辛的酗酒惡習，認為她不是一個好母親。而書末，一個出人意料的事件讓愛噴發，所有人對弱智孩子的關愛從一個小小的視窗得以展現得淋漓盡致。對有缺點的不完美的人生抱以同情、理解和寬容，這是心靈在苦痛中的成長體會，也是《瘋媽媽》揭示的樸素人生哲理。本書曾獲得國際紐伯瑞兒童文學大獎。

Sometimes I dream Maxine is walking down the street, right in the middle like she always did with her son Ronald. She is wearing dark glasses and a funny hat and purple pants, and she moves back and forth when she walks. Ronald is always pop-eyed, like he is scared someone is going to hurt him. Then the kids come and start shouting "Crazy lady" and she shouts at them and holds onto Ronald and they laugh and shout right back.

I want you to know about our neighborhood, it is called Tingly Heights. What I really need to tell you about is the next street down. It is a slum. People live down there with their windows broken out all year round. I did not go down there much until I met Maxine and Ronald and their friend Miss Annie.

That was in 1981, the year I was 12 years old. I found out that once you are 12, you are too big for lots of the things you used to do before, but you are too young for a job. So a whole group of us was left with nothing to do. We would stand on the corner to see if Maxine would come by with Ronald. Somebody found out that he went to a school for mentally disabled kids and that a special bus brought him home every afternoon. His mother was always there to get him off the bus. What we liked most was to get her angry, so she would put on a show. Anything we said would make her a poppycock.

One day, I was at the local store to buy potatoes. Millt, the owner of the store, was arguing with the woman about the price of potatoes. "I’m here for potatoes, too." I said, "My sister said they were a dollar nine on Monday." Millt shouted, "You both can go on up to the other store."

Suddenly, I realized I was walking up the street to the other store beside Maxine. There was no way I wanted to be there.

"I’m in a hurry," I said.

"I’m in a hurry, too." She said, "I left Ronald home by himself sitting by the TV."

"You give me the money and go on home," I said, "I’ll get the potatoes."