King Lion Takes a Census
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They counted birds with beaks and birds with bills. They counted the animals in holes and in tall ant hills They counted animals that showed their teeth and growled They counted animals that saw the moon at night and howled They counted animals that walk and animals that run. They counted animals that just like to lie in the sun They counted animals ferocious and animals tame They knew that no two animals were exactly the same They counted animals short and animals tall They counted every animal both big and small From the smallest ant to the largest mammal It was really hard work counting every animal It took three months for the counting to be completed. When the census was finished, the monkeys were tasked to log all the information into big books alphabetically and gave the records to the owl who passed them to the king for safe keeping. After locking all the books in a secure vault that only he and owl knew the location, King Lion placed the key on a splendid, golden chain that hung around his rather large neck. From the information gathered in the census, King Lion assembled animals to get to work improving their kingdom. The animals started building, planting trees and bushes, getting fallen trees cleared away, mending rooftops and porches. The Eagle was the project coordinator because he was well respected by the other animals and could get the job done. The Elephant, Hippopotamus and Rhinoceros did most of the heavy lifting. The Zebras plowed, the ants dug deep holes in the ground, while the birds came behind them to plant the seeds. The Beavers put their sharp teeth and flat tails to work getting the wood just right to build new houses, hospitals, shelters and schools. The Giraffe used her long neck to reach places that the small animals could not.
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About the Book
King Lion is faced with a dilemma. His every growing Kingdom makes it difficult to handle all the issues, good and bad, that accompany progress. The wise owl advises the King to count all the animals in his domain. The animals set out to complete this tremendous task so improvements can be made to benefit the entire animal population. King Lion Takes a Census is a fun way to describe the Census to children and encourage parents to complete the Census forms. The book also explains in elementary terms how completing the Census helps to build and maintain our communities. The book is written in prose and poetry for fun-filled reading.
About the Author
Janice Curtis Greene is an award-winning Master Storyteller and author, an American Griot. She has been telling African, African American and Multicultural stories for over 25 years. She is President and Life Member of the National Association of Black Storytellers (NABS) and Past President and Life Member of the Griots' Circle of Maryland, Inc. Mrs. Greene was appointed by Governor Lawrence Hogan’s to serve as a Commissioner on the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture. Janice Curtis Greene has delighted adult and student audiences at various venues both nationally and internationally with traditional and original folktales of the African Diaspora. Janice mesmerizes her audiences with folktales, historical, motivational and healing stories and Bible Stories set to syncopated Rap rhythms. Janice has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and is also known for her portrayals of historical African American females such as Harriett Tubman, Rosa Parks, Phillis Wheatley, Soujourner Truth, Verda F. Welcome and more. Mrs. Greene received a Citation from Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake for first children’s book, Thema and the Wonderful Black Gourd, and her contribution to African American Literature. Her work is also featured in “Sayin’ Somethin’: Stories from the National Association of Black Storytellers and “What we Have Seen and Heard: Essays and Stories from Black Catholics of Baltimore”. Mrs. Greene has won numerous awards including the Continentals, Inc. Community Service Award and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority's 2015 Woman of the Year in Cultural Arts and Harriet Tubman Lifetime Achievement Awards. She lives in Windsor Mill, MD with her husband of 46 years. Mrs. Greene can be contacted via her web-site: www.janicethegriot.com