The Heart of Life
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My best friend Ojore the lion is really brave and smart. He must know the answer to my question. “Ojore, do you know what’s inside the heart of life?” I asked. Ojore stared at me for a while, thinking. Then he said in a strong, powerful, lion voice, “Courage! Courage is in the heart of life because if we don’t have courage then we would be afraid of everything. No one can be together in one place if they are all afraid of each other.” I looked at Ojore, and somehow I knew that courage could not be the only thing inside the heart of life. Shouldn’t we be fearful and in awe of our elders who know so much more than we do? Still, I did not want to hurt Ojore’s feelings, so I thanked him and went to find my friend Amina the ostrich.
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About the Book
Mama says that inside the Earth is the Heart of Life.
The Earth gives us life and has a big heart with room for everyone…
But I wonder, what’s inside the heart of life that makes it so big?
Have you ever wondered how we all fit in the world? Of all the sizes the Earth could be why is it so perfectly big enough for all of us to live on?
If you ask these questions you’re not alone, a little giraffe in Africa asks them too! Nelson wants you to travel to another continent and spend a day with him as he tries to find the answer to this important question. You’ll meet his best friends, Ojore the lion, Amina the ostrich, Adisa the owl, and Nomble his mom… and even some vultures who are not Nelson’s friends, because the world is big enough for them too. Together, you will discover what it means to be part of this world and why we are all able to live on the Earth.
About the Author
Born and raised in Miami, Florida Erica del Riego is inspired by the multicultural energy of Miami life. As the daughter of Cuban immigrants the importance of cultural heritage permeates her life and work. In The Heart of Life, her first book, Erica seeks to capture the spirit and ideological significance of peace activist Nelson Mandela for the history of Africa and its people. Inspired by her favorite animal Erica channeled Mandela’s call for equality and unity through the long neck of an eight year old giraffe. She is currently studying English Literature at the University of Miami.