One morning Mr. Sun peeps over the horizon in Africa. He smiles down at his animal friends and the reader is invited to count them. There is a giraffe, a cheeky monkey, a zebra, a crocodile, an aardvark, a cheetah, a lazy lion, a pelican and an elephant...nine animal friends! But someone is missing, who could it be? Read to the end to find out who it is! This fun, interactive picture story encourages children to count, to guess which animal comes next and to remember which have come before. Added to this, each character is brought to life in a playful poem that parents and children will enjoy reading together. Maria Ramsay grew up in Middlesbrough in the northeast of England and now lives in Belgium. After working in an office for 30 years, she decided to retire early in order to have more opportunities for travel and other enjoyable activities. Says Maria, "I think I have finally found out what I want to be when I grow up! I want to be an author." Maria particularly enjoys writing and illustrating children's books, and takes as many opportunities as she can to travel. She is the author of Mr. Sun Smiles Down on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/MariaRamsay