Beatrice's Goat On Best Sellers List

NEW YORK - Beatrice's Goat by Page McBrier and Lori Lohstoeter, climbed to #3 on the New York Times Children's Picture Books Best Seller List (see April 8th edition). The overwhelming success is beyond the highest expectations of publisher Simon & Schuster. "It's not often that readers get to meet the heroine of a story, but this is definitely what warmed the hearts and opened the minds of those who had this recent opportunity," says Rosalee Sinn, senior advisor at Heifer International and Beatrice's chaperone. Through this story, young readers are learning the importance of giving to others in need.

The featured character, 16-year-old Beatrice Biira of Uganda, Africa, has traveled across 14 states in 44 days and made 125 presentations to schools, bookstores, churches and media to get the message of the true story across to readers. Beatrice was able to achieve her life-long dream of going to school at the age of nine because of a goat named Mugisa (which means luck), a gift from Heifer International. Since 1944, this non-profit organization has given animals and training to impoverished families worldwide. The sale of the goat's milk and offspring gave Beatrice's mother enough money to send all of her children to school. And like all members of Heifer International's projects, she passed on the gift of the first female offspring to another family in need, continuing the benefits of income and nutrition.

Beatrice's story reveals the devastating reality of poverty, and that the smallest contribution toward the purchase of a gift animal can drastically improve the lives of the less fortunate all over the world. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Beatrice' Goat goes to Heifer International to continue the work of alleviating world hunger. Beatrice is indeed on a clear mission to be a part of Heifer International's dedication to the work of justice and peace in her country. She has returned to Uganda with plans of entering a veterinary training program and left us with a knowing that we can all be connected to the solutions to world hunger and poverty.

Beatrice's Goat also received the "Award of Excellence" from the Religion Communicators Council and the DeRose-Hinkhouse Foundation. Beatrice appeared on Good Morning America and talk shows across the country.

For more information about Heifer International, please call (800) 696-1918, or visit the Heifer web site at http://www.heifer.org/