Little Lion

When little lion becomes lost in the Ethiopian countryside, he turns to his animal friends to help, but they are afraid to help him! Playful illustrations of endangered African animals like elephants and servals detail the sometimes tense relationships between predator and prey as little lion searches for his mama. Questions about the food web and the circle of life arise naturally as emerging young bilingual readers develop their vocabulary and fluency in Ethiopian languages, as well as conversations about independence, friendship, how to ask for help and how to be helpful. Side by side text in Afar Af and English help readers connect words to concepts. Part of the Ready, Set, Go! series of early bilingual readers by Open Hearts Big Dreams, a nonprofit devoted to increasing literacy in indigenous Ethiopian languages.