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Brambly Hedge #1

Pomladna zgodba

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Miền Dâu Dại là câu chuyện về cộng đồng chuột đồng sống chan hòa với nhau và với tự nhiên ở Miền Dâu Dại. Xuyên suốt bộ sách, độc giả nhỏ sẽ được tìm hiểu về đời sống gắn bó khăng khít, thân thiện, sống chan hòa với thiên nhiên. Những câu chuyện xoay quanh các chủ đề thân thuộc với trẻ em: gia đình, chòm xóm, bạn bè; cũng như đan xen với các lễ lạc, hội hè và những dịp giao tế xã hội. Tất cả sẽ trở thành nguồn cảm hứng giúp các em hiểu thấu về nếp sống biết chia sẻ, thông cảm, ứng xử hòa nhã và thân ái với con người lẫn thiên nhiên.
Những chú chuột đồng trong Miền Dâu Dại là đại diện cho các cá nhân trong xã hội loài người. Chúng mặc trang phục, ăn uống, bài trí nhà cửa, tổ chức tiệc tùng, sinh hoạt gia đình, chòm xóm… hệt như một cộng đồng người Anh ở thập niên 1980. Rõ ràng là các chú chuột được nhân hóa, nhưng tài năng vẽ đặc tả của Jill Barklem khiến người đọc phải cảm thán thế giới chuột tưởng tượng ấy sao mà chân thật phi thường. Bà tỉa tót tỉ mẩn từng chi tiết trong trang phục, món ăn, kiến trúc, khung cảnh… trong từng bức minh họa cho Miền Dâu Dại. Kế thừa phong cách minh họa của Beatrix Potter, cùng sự dày công nghiên cứu - thử nghiệm trong 5 năm sáng tác, Jill Barklem tạo nên một thế giới của trí sáng tạo sống động, gần gũi đến không ngờ.
Miền Dâu Dại thỏa mãn trí tượng tượng không giới hạn của người đọc, song cũng khiến người đọc tin rằng, một ngày nào đó, họ thực sự có thể nhìn thấy “một vạt khói bay lên từ chiếc ống khói bé xinh xinh hay thậm chí lối cầu thang dốc thật cao bên trong hốc cây”. Tranh vẽ dày đặc và công phu hiếm có tạo nên cảm giác thật về một thế giới tưởng tượng trong sách, qua đó làm nảy sinh niềm tin về một cuộc sống có thể thành hiện thực của con người. Những chú chuột trong thế giới của Jill Barklem là một cộng đồng có lối sống bền vững, tự cung tự cấp, mùa nào dùng thức nấy, sống chan hòa với thiên nhiên. Tận dụng những dịp đặc biệt theo từng mùa trong năm làm nền cho những câu chuyện dung dị, Miền Dâu Dại tôn vinh một lối sống rất “người”, ngợi ca một thế giới tươi đẹp, gắn kết và thân thiện, nơi mà trẻ em và người già được tất cả cộng đồng quan tâm săn sóc.
Đâu phải điều gì lớn lao, thế giới lý tưởng đối với Jill Barklem - qua Miền Dâu Dại, đơn giản chỉ là nơi con người đối xử tử tế với nhau trong mối quan hệ hài hòa với tự nhiên, theo dòng đời sống dẫu bận rộn quanh năm nhưng vẫn tràn ngập niềm vui. Và chính lý tưởng mộc mạc, giản đơn ấy lại rung động trái tim của bao người trên thế gian này…Trọn bộ “Miền Dâu Dại – Chuyện bốn mùa” gồm 4 cuốn: Chuyện khi xuân sang; Chuyện khi hạ tới; Chuyện khi thu đến; Chuyện khi đông về.

36 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

21 people are currently reading
2494 people want to read

About the author

Jill Barklem

141 books260 followers
Jill Barklem (1951-November 15, 2017) was a British writer and illustrator of children's books. Her most famous work is the Brambly Hedge series.

After an accident when she was thirteen, Jill was unable to take part in PE or games at school and instead developed her talent for drawing and art. On leaving school, she studied illustration at St Martin's in London. She became a full-time illustrator. She spent five years on research before she started to write her first stories about the mice of Brambly Hedge.

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5 stars
1,182 (57%)
4 stars
611 (29%)
3 stars
223 (10%)
2 stars
36 (1%)
1 star
21 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
Profile Image for Tania.
1,039 reviews126 followers
April 30, 2023
I was reminded of these books whilst watching Miranda Mills blog on YouTube today so I had to pick it up. Very sweet story with wonderful illustrations. No wonder these were childhood favourites.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,118 reviews324 followers
February 7, 2025
I only recently heard about the Brambly Hedge books and had to check them out. This was even more lovely and charming than I thought it would be. I have always been fascinated by little creatures living inside walls, trees etc. ever since I was a young girl and so this was exactly up my alley. I love all the illustrations full of the tiniest details. The cutaway view of Crabapple Cottage is my favorite. I want to live inside that picture.

I am going to track down all the rest of the Brambly Hedge books!
Profile Image for Lisa Vegan.
2,910 reviews1,314 followers
April 15, 2009
This is my firth Brambly Hedge book and my last of the four seasons books. As usual with these books, it’s the intricate and beautiful illustrations that make the book so special. For the first time I did get a chuckle from the story: re the specific presents Wilfred got from his birthday, and I did find the story somewhat interesting given that it included a birthday, a birthday cake, and a picnic. The food pictures in this book, and the other books in this series, are enough to whet my appetite.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
4,782 reviews
May 12, 2009
I love visiting Brambly Hedge!!! :-) Spring story is lovely and perfect for the season--you'll encounter lots of pretty flowers and delectable meadow-foods as a picnic gets underway for birthday-boy Wilfred. Although I don't find Barklem's stories to be especially riveting or blessed with a unique "voice," they are sweet and charming in their simplicity and kids will love the adorable woodland names of the characters. What really wins me over with Barklem is the artwork. So much detail, so very cozy!
Profile Image for Ann.
540 reviews
May 30, 2011
While the story here isn't anything overly amazing (a surprise birthday party) I simply love all the illustrations!

We get to see how the different creatures/families in Brambly Hedge prepare for the birthday (and they are all so cute and sweet and thoughtful) and I loved pouring over all the various houses and rooms and how they fit into the different shaped trees, etc. So beautiful and so enchanting for those of us who love "little things fitting into the world".

The story is sweet, too (I like that everyone in the town works together), but it's definitely the illustrations that won me over!
Profile Image for Abigail.
7,958 reviews262 followers
November 7, 2018
"On the other side of the stream, across the field... amongst the tangled roots and stems," lies the close-knit community of Brambly Hedge, a cooperative society of rural mice, contentedly living in their snug tree-trunk homes, and pooling their resources into endeavors like the Store Stump, where all their food is kept safe. The Spring morning on which out story begins sees young Wilfred Toadflax up bright and early, excited at the prospect of his birthday. Unbeknownst to him, the kind residents of Brambly Hedge - led by Mr. Apple, the storekeeper, and the illustrious Lord Woodmouse - have planned a picnic surprise for him...

Originally published in 1980, and reprinted a number of times since then, Spring Story is the first of Jill Barklem's four seasonal picture-books about Brambly Hedge, all brought out the same year. It serves as a lovely introduction to this tiny, enchanted world, as it takes the reader into a variety of homes in the hedge, as well as the Store Stump, and establishes the fact that this is a community which likes to celebrate together! The illustrations are simply darling, with just the sort of intricate interiors that children love to pore over, studying every detail. I can't recall exactly when I first encountered these books - I wasn't a child, alas, so I missed out - but they have certainly become a personal favorite! I'm reminded of Brian Jacques' series of murine fantasies, beginning with Redwall , and wonder if he was at all influenced by these lovely little books...
Profile Image for Cathryn.
401 reviews39 followers
March 10, 2025
Another sweet party was held by the Brambly mice to celebrate Wilfred’s birthday! I just love this community of mice. 🍎 🎂 🐭
Profile Image for itselv:#&309;.
665 reviews306 followers
Read
July 22, 2023

الرسومات مليئة بالتفاصيل المُبهرة، من أظرف ما رأت عيناي!
Profile Image for booklady.
2,729 reviews172 followers
March 24, 2024
Think Beatrix Potter all in Mouse World. More colorful and intricate drawings, but just as sweet and warm.
Profile Image for Bridget Deputy .
32 reviews24 followers
May 8, 2025
This story is charming and the illustrations are a feast for the eyes!!
Profile Image for Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all).
2,272 reviews234 followers
December 3, 2017
A warm, family-centred story about a little mouse's birthday. I love the community spirit of the Brambly Hedge mice; they all help each other and love planning nice surprises for each other--and carrying them out! The illustrations are wonderful, and of course the birthday feast plays a large role. A friend of mine remarked that they are very 1980s, like something out of a Marks and Spencer's foodhall ad; maybe they were, to her, but there's a deep love of the countryside and a simpler, gentler time there that is a great comfort-read at the end of the day.
Profile Image for Riley.
1,025 reviews105 followers
December 23, 2021
One of the sweetest things I've ever read in my life. What could be more lovely than living in Brambly Hedge and going on a picnic and falling asleep under the bluebells.
Profile Image for Aran🍁☕️📖.
352 reviews
June 2, 2025
Un rincón acogedor en el corazón del bosque. Este libro es una joya que celebra la belleza de lo cotidiano y el calor de la vida en comunidad. En el Seto de las Zarzas, los pequeños ratones viven entre raíces y flores, trabajando con esmero, cuidando la naturaleza y celebrando cada estación con alegría.

Con ilustraciones delicadas y una historia que transmite ternura, este Cuento de primavera es un homenaje a la amistad, la tradición y la magia de los pequeños momentos compartidos. Ideal para leer con calma, taza de té en mano 🌷🫖

Perfecto para quienes aman los detalles, la naturaleza y los libros que reconfortan el alma :)
Profile Image for Ashley Shoemaker.
32 reviews1 follower
April 8, 2025
An engaging story and beautiful illustrations. We immediately ordered the whole Brambly Hedge collection for purchase.
Profile Image for Crystal Marcos.
Author 4 books883 followers
May 30, 2011
Any child who enjoys intricate details and miniatures will enjoy this book. A sweet story about a mouse named Wilfred. It is Wilfred's birthday and the close-knit mouse community has a surprise for him.

The story made me smile and imagine. It even made me giggle. I wish I had found this book when I was a child so I could have read it to my sister who absolutely would have adored this book.
Profile Image for Julie.
2,558 reviews34 followers
January 4, 2018
I was very sad to learn that the author of these books has passed away and decided to revisit the Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter story collection. I originally read these some years ago when my children were small. The illustrations are exquisite and reminiscent of my childhood roaming the countryside of England. The stories are heart-warming and enjoyable.
Profile Image for Katie Hurse.
5 reviews2 followers
June 11, 2025
Am I the intended reading level for this children’s book? No. Did I love reading it all the same? Indeed. I think Jill Barklem was inside my brain when she dreamt up this secret world of English country mice and the watercolor illustrations of my dreams. I can’t wait to read to Ollie!
Profile Image for oliviasbooks.
784 reviews530 followers
November 30, 2012
I loved the cute "Spring Story", which introduced me to cleverly hidden miniature worlds in our forests, so much as a kid that I ignored the fact that the book was given to my younger sister by her godmother. I deliberately magicked her into believing it was "our" book and then gradually shifted it into my personal shelf - where it still lives today.

I fondly remember making Brambly-Hedge-inspired window decorations, creating my first own audiobook at the age of seven by reading the story to my cassette recorder and experimenting with water colors to recreate the characters for my bedroom wall.

Therefore I have been extremely delighted today to find a Freshome.com feed in my inbox that featured a real, tangible Brambly-Hedge-Doll-House by Maddie Brindley:


(Source and more pictures: http://freshome.com/2012/11/28/miniat...)

Isn't it perfect?
Profile Image for Dolly.
Author 1 book671 followers
April 20, 2011
This is the first book we've read in the Brambly Hedge series by Jill Barklem. While we enjoyed the story, I think the series will take awhile to grow on me. Still, with eight stories in the series (from what I can tell), I think we'll give another of the books a shot. They remind me strongly ofBeatrix Potter's work and have a distinctively English flavour.

This book was chosen as one of the selections for the May 2011 Spring-time themed books at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads. I'm glad that this book was a selection as I might not have read it otherwise.
Profile Image for Jaclyn.
71 reviews2 followers
August 31, 2024
When I was small my mum would buy me books as a surprise and hide them in the house. This set of the seasons at Brambly Hedge we’re tucked up with the towels in the linen closet when I got home from school one day in 1993 for no reason at all and I remember scaling the up the shelves to claim them so the star rating 🌟 for me is wrapped up with the nostalgia but I love them. I love the provincial settings and the laid back slow pace of a world where the big event is an afternoon picnic with bottles of elderberry something something tied to reeds in the river to keep them cool. I’m such a rubbish cook but every time I reread these little editions (as I sometimes do as a little pallet cleanser between books) I’m oft to believe with all my little being that I was put on this earth to climb mulberry trees and make preserves with little material lids and live in a larder.
Profile Image for Susannah Bell.
Author 25 books28 followers
February 4, 2018
All the stories in this collection are charming. I read them a thousand times over to my daughter when she was little and we spent hours poring over the illustrations. Utterly beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews

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