Why the Stomach Growls

According to African Mythology, a lonely Creator made the first human being as separate parts, such as eyes to share the beauty of the garden, a nose to smell the flowers, and legs to skip and run. Finally, a stomach was fashioned. All of the parts enjoyed their functions, except for the stomach, which didn’t know what to do. Bored and jealous, the growling, grumbling stomach caused problems for all the others. The angry Creator decided to put all of the parts together so they would have to get along. He placed the stomach right in the middle, but sometimes it still growls. Colorful prose and whimsical illustrations ignite the imagination of young readers. Pamela Duncan Edwards is a prolific author of children’s books. Her previous work for Sleeping Bear Press includes O is for Old Dominion: A Virginia Alphabet. She lives in Virginia.Bridget Starr Taylor, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, lives in New York City. Her illustrations have appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated and Highlights magazine.