Too Brave in English and Tigrinya — Jane Kurtz

Profits from books sales will be used to create, print, and distribute more Ready Set Go Books to kids in Ethiopia

Ready Set Go books are often based on wise sayings from Ethiopia that many people know and use. The sayings often rhyme in Amharic. If an adult says the first half, many children can chant the second half. Sometimes the meaning of these sayings is clear. Sometimes it has to be puzzled out and argued over. But sayings and idioms and proverbs help people express truths and beliefs in unusual ways.

Illustrations in this book were created by children's book author Jane Kurtz working with her Ethiopian-American grandchildren, Ellemae and Noh Goering, donating their artistic efforts to spread book love around the world. Their work was supplemented by art created by students at Findley Elementary School in Beaverton, Oregon and digital design by Kenny and Ashley Rasmussen.

A cheeky mouse learns a valuable lesson in this fable based on an Ethiopian proverb for practice in reading Amharic and English. Ready Set Go Books, an Open Hearts Big Dreams Project (http://openheartsbigdreams.org/book-project/), is focused on increasing the literacy rate in Ethiopia through giving readers books with stories in their heart languages, full of colorful illustrations with Ethiopian settings and details.

Profits from books sales will be used to create, print, and distribute more Ready Set Go Books to kids in Ethiopia

Ready Set Go books are often based on wise sayings from Ethiopia that many people know and use. The sayings often rhyme in Amharic. If an adult says the first half, many children can chant the second half. Sometimes the meaning of these sayings is clear. Sometimes it has to be puzzled out and argued over. But sayings and idioms and proverbs help people express truths and beliefs in unusual ways.

Illustrations in this book were created by children's book author Jane Kurtz working with her Ethiopian-American grandchildren, Ellemae and Noh Goering, donating their artistic efforts to spread book love around the world. Their work was supplemented by art created by students at Findley Elementary School in Beaverton, Oregon and digital design by Kenny and Ashley Rasmussen.

Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund (OHBD) is a 501(3)(c) not for profit organization that believes the chance to dream big dreams should not depend on where in the world you are born.

Ethiopia is Africa's second most populous country. Ethiopia's population is 44% children, ages 0-14 (43 million out of 97 million total). Only 5.5% of children attend pre-school or kindergarten. Only 68% of ages 7-12 attend primary school. Adult literacy stands at 49% with men at 57% and women at 41%. Only 7.5% of the adult population have any post-secondary education.

OHBD MISSION: Inspiring and enabling youth, their communities and organizations who serve them by providing literacy, education, commercial and leadership opportunities.
Our focus is to support 501(c)(3) organizations and their programs that provide literacy, K-12 education, leadership as well as that support the parents and communities where the kids live, in Ethiopia.