What the Animals Were Waiting For

Cowbells tinkle. And over there, a family of elephants munches on dry grass, flaps huge ears like slow fans, and waits. It is a time of waiting. The gazelles, the wildebeest and the zebras are all waiting. The lions, too, and the crocodiles are waiting. Little Tepi watches the animals and wonders what is coming. Soon there will be rain, and food for everyone! In simple, stirring verse, this stunningly illustrated picture book tells the story of the dramatic cycles of life on the Masai Mara range in Africa — one of the last great, wild places on Earth.

The Man Who Knew Too Much: A Moral Tale from the Baila of Zambia

A husband does not believe it when his wife tells him that their crying baby is comforted by a huge eagle who flies down with its sharp talons and alights on the baby.

The Royal Drum: An Ashanti Tale

A read-aloud rebus treasure from the Ashanti in Ghana. Who is the laziest animal of all? All the animals gather together to help make a drum for the king of the jungle, but Anansi makes certain that Monkey ends up with the hardest job of all.

Sungura and Leopard: A Swahili Trickster Tale

A small but clever hare and a fierce leopard agree to share a house, but as the hare’s family grows, he realizes that he must find a way to get rid of his bad-tempered neighbor.

Ape

Swing with a hairy orangutan and her baby as they lunge for a smelly, spiky durian fruit. Roam and play with a gang of chimps, then poke out some tasty termites with a blade of grass. Chatter and feast on figs with a bonobo, or chomp on bamboo with a gorilla as he readies for sleep. What could be better than spending time with these rare and wonderful creatures–after all, the fifth great ape on this planet is you!

Exploration Into Africa

Exploration Into Africa is part of a series describing the history of chosen regions before and after their exploration by Europeans. This book is about exploring the whole story of Africa from the earliest times, through the periods of its great empires, to the time of its exploration by European travelers right up to the present day. Read about the Ghanaian Empire that was so wealthy the dogs in the king’s palace wore collars of solid gold. Read about massive walls of Great Zimbabwe, the fabulous city that was suddenly abandoned for no apparent reason. And read about the Europeans who came and explored Africa in their quest to solve the mysteries of that continent.