Lost heart found by del

Los t , Hear t , Found W r it t en and Il l us t r at ed by Del Car t w r ight Ded icat ed t o Mar iel a Mir and a

?Dad!? shouted Jess, ?I am going out exploring!? ?Ok sweety be back by dinner time, and don?t be late.

There is roasted gazelle for dinner. Your favorite!?

Answered Jorge, Jess?dad. ?Ok, but when have I ever been late for dinner??

Jess yelled as she headed out the door.

It was a nice spring morning and Jess, was just leaving the house for one of her afternoon wanderings.

She loved to explore and travel out in the open. Since Jess was a cub she had loved to go out on her own. Her younger brothers and sisters were always jealous of her always being curious and wandering. After all she was the oldest cub, being born 3 minutes before her brother. Jess and her family lived in a cave on the top of a cliff in the Savanna. Her dad was the king of the jungle, being the most dominant and the one with the most respect. She had two brothers and two sisters, with a very loving mommy.

It had been 2 hours since Jess had left her home and she was getting very, very hungry so she decided to go into the tree area of the grasslands. After about 20 minutes of fruitless searching in the trees, she decided to head back home. She knew that by the time she got home, dinner would be ready. Just thinking about roasted gazelle made her hurry along the tree line.

Jess searched and searched for the trail that had led her to the trees (from her home) but after a long time she burst into tears, calling out her family?s names.

A bird heard Jess?calls and came fluttering down from a nearby tree. Jess wasn?t happy and she was very hungry so without thinking she jumped at the bird, caught it in her mouth and ate it.

Feeling bad about what she had done, Jess cried louder than ever, making birds fly out of trees. Jess ignored them and continued walking, trying to find the path that led her to her parents. As soon she stopped crying and continued to walk she found herself heading towards a herd of elephants, two of them were fighting over sharing some food. ?Guys stop it!? she yelled. Both elephants turned and looked at her. ?You don?t need to fight over this fruit tree. Each person can have a half.? ?You?re smart,? said the younger one, ?I wish this guy here was as smart as you.? ?That wasn?t very nice but thank you for saying that I was intelligent.? Replied Jess feeling better about herself. ?Bye guys,? she said as she walked away, ?I need to get going home, I am lost by the way,? she mumbled, although she knew the elephants heard her.

Jess realized that it was great helping everyone else out with their problems, but she needed to start thinking about how to solve her own issue before things got worse. ?My name is Briana by the way, if you ever need any help? said the younger elephant calling from behind as though she didn?t want the conversation to end, ?I like you, you're nice.? ?Thanks, my name is Jess,? She replied and walked away.

After the weird encounter with Briana and the other elephant, Jess continued her journey- now feeling once again nervous about being lost but still feeling better than before. She had made a new friend which she definitely couldn?t complain about because she loved being social and hanging out with a lot of different people.

Jess decided to continue walking in the grasslands and soon enough saw two cheetahs running at their maximum speed towards her. Run!!! She thought, but then the cheetahs stopped running 5 yards away from her at a boulder. ?You lost, hahahahah,? said one of the cheetahs. ?Oh, come on Hanah, be realistic... I won,? the boy cheetah responded.

?I am being realistic? Hannah yelled, ?YOU know perfectly well that I WON!!!? ?No I actually don?t.? ??Hahaha?we are not kidding around here Deren.?

The cheetahs disagreement was quickly evolving into a full-blown argument. ?Hey stop this second guys, arguing is not going to do anything positive. You both tied. I saw you with my own eyes and you didn?t so don?t say anything else about the race, I have heard enough!? Jess yelled through gritted teeth. She was glaring at them like they were her enemies. If one thing was for sure, Jess did NOT like arguing at all. She thought that the world be better with none of it. ?Umm ok?? responded both cheetahs taken by surprise. Then they both took a step back as if Jess had a weapon. ?Moving on? My name is Jess and I am lost. I went exploring and got lost. Have you seen any lions around?? She said back, totally ?forgetting?her annoyance of the argument. ?No not at all,? they responded at the same time, ?but we will both help, whatever you need friend.? By this time, both cheetahs had changed their attitude towards Jess and were acting as if they were long time friends. They thought that it was awesome how Jess just moved on from the argument so quickly. ?Thanks guys and bye,? said Jess smiling as she walked off. Jess then turned and left both cheetahs looking at each other weirdly. ?Oh well,? she thought let's get back home.

Night was falling and Jess was starting to get uneasy. Her tummy growled and she couldn?t forget about her hunger.

She decided to make herself a little bed out of a bush to sleep in.

Morning came and Jess awoke with a start. She heard animals arguing. She was sure it was buffalo because she had heard their accent before. ?Stop it! I just woke up and I bet fighting will not fix anything.? She yelled at them, ?what happened anyway?? Jess?legs were burning.

She had jumped up so fast that it had hurt. She was beat down and ready to go home. ?Zander and I,? Xavier said pointing at himself, ? are too big and cannot drink from 1 water hole. We need to use 2 holes or else we don?t fit.? Xavier was looking at Jess with a face that read? ?Can?t you see? Duhhh? ?Really that is all that you are fighting about? There is another water hole over there.

Can?t you see it?? Jess replied in an exasperated tone. ?Oh yes, thanks? said Xavier, one of the buffalos as he headed off to the water, ?You're nice.? He said totally hiding his tone from the previous statement. ?Thanks,? replied Jess and she headed westward to what she thought was the direction of her family.

Then all of a sudden Jess cried in glee, for she saw animals looking for something in the far distance. It must be my family! She thought and immediately picked up her speed. Two minutes later, she was sprinting full speed down the slope calling her family?s names. Jess was out of control. She couldn?t help herself from running.

Down and down she dashed towards what she thought were her family's voices. She came around the next bend... And stopped dead in her tracks.

A huge elephant was towering down on her. ?What are you doing?? He yelled, ?trying to sneak up on us, right? Well we got you this time.? Then he turned to his herd. ?Briana, you're the smartest of them all? What shall we do with this puny prying lion here?? ?Umm? may I look it to see the size sir. I am sort of small and in the back row so I can?t see the victim.?

Answered Briana in a whisper. When the big elephant said yes, everyone quickly moved to make a pathway for the young elephant to pass through. As she slowly strided up to the front the animals around her bowed. It was as if she was the king of them all walking up to her spot. ?Ohh no!? She yelled as she saw Jess, ?let this lion go.? ?Let her go? NEVER!? Said the troop leader, ?Are you crazy, calf,? ?N..n..no sr. I really think you should let her go,? at this Briana turned around and headed to Jess?side the big elephant reached down and grabbed Jess, ?LET HER GO!? Briana yelled, ?LET HER GO!?

?Now Briana are you crazy? I?ll decide what happens with this brat and you get along with your self into the herd.? Answered the matriarch (the leader) of the herd. ?Let me think? Ahh, I will give her to the hyenas, there is a nice big bunch of them over this mountain and they will love a prepared feast.? At this he turned around to face Jess.

Jess felt his eyes burning on her head as he decided what to do.. Jess prayed that she wouldn?t be killed but thought that she was going to get eaten alive. Thinking this made her shudder. She then noticed that she was trembling with fear and tried to hide it because the last thing Jess wanted to do is show to the matriarch that she was scared. Then out of the silence Jess heard a cry of discontent, it was Briana.

?Don?t mess with this lion,? shouted Briana! ?You don?t know what you?re talking about,? answered another elephant, ?she came to kill us but we caught her and know you are trying to save her? Sorry but she is now officially dead meat,? at this comment everyone laughed but Briana. Jess felt the elephant's humiliation eat her up inside, she felt like she was already dying, she felt that she would never make it back home, never ever again. Then a voice came into her head. ?If you are going to kill her, I will go with her because I am a true friend who will not give up on people.? Jess had hope? The next moment she felt a strong trunk lift her off the ground and shake her. ?Jess come on! I will help you find your way home I promise I will come with you the entire journey, come on let's go!? Said the voice. The next moment Jess was wide awake looking up into Briana's eyes. ?Hurry because if you don?t we will both be in danger of our herd leader.? ?Come on let's get out of here! If not they will kill you!? Yelled Briana! ?Briana, what are you doing? I thought you were going to kill me!? Answered Jess really surprised. ?Me going to kill you? NEVER! I knew you would be one of my best friends from the start, as I told you the first time we meet ?I like you?you're nice.? She said grinning. ?Anyway I would prefer you called me Bri not Briana, Now let?s go!? ?Ok and thanks for everything I owe you one. Now all we need to do is find my family.? By the time that Jess said this, the two friends were running away from the elephant herd. Once they slowed down to a walk Jess was once again crying for know she knew her parents were going to be worried.

It was getting dark and they had no place to sleep. So Bri suggested to lay down on some leaves and sleep in the cover of a nearby tree. Because both girls were tired from the drama Jess didn?t argue even though she thought it was not the best place to sleep. Once they lay down the two friends started talking about tomorrow. ?I want my family,? said Jess, ?they will be worried to death about me now.? ?You will find them, I promise. Tomorrow we will go searching together, you will try to find their scent and I will look above the bushes to see if there are any lions.? Bri answered encouragingly ?Ok thanks for the encouragement.? Jess responded now feeling better about her mistake. ?Your welcome but now get some sleep, good night,? Bri mumbled as she closed her eyes and fell into a soft slumber.

*****

It was morning and the friends had just set off on their ?adventure.?Briana was busy looking afar while Jess looked in little caves on the clif. ?Hey,? yelled Bri, ?I don?t know what your family looks like but there are two lion looking things over there!? ?Let me see,? Jess said as she hurried over, ?ohh them no Bri they are not my siblings, they are Hanah and Deren, two cheetah cubs. Let me see if they can help.? At this Jess and Bri started walking towards them. Once they meet, greeted each other and talked a bit about their encounter with the elephants, Deren finally asked what they were doing alone and together. ?What in the world! How did you two end up together with no one else around. Jess, didn?t you find your family?? Deren asked curiously for he was sure that Jess would have found her way home by now. ?Actually no? ? Mumbled Jess, ?I am still lost and Briano here is going to help me find my way back. She is tall so she will look over the bushes, trees, and rocks to see if she can spot out my family.? ?Well that is nice of you!? Said hannah pointing to Bri, ?we will help you find your way too! Let me think? . Oww Yes! We will run ahead and go into caves and crevices looking for danger and animals that could harm anyone of us.? ?Ok! Great idea! Now I am positive that we will find my family. You guys are the best friends ever!? Yelled Jess in excitement, ?let?s go!? As she said this she set out at a determined pace. Her friends taken back by the shout followed her not uttering a word.

They had been walking for 3 hours and they had only just seen 2 other animals, none of which were lions. They were getting discouraged. Bri had only seen one giraffe in the distance and Hannah and Deren spent most of their time wandering about and talking. Finally the four friends decided to stop and rest. They would continue looking in the morning. ?I wonder how my parents are. I wonder if they think I?m d? ? Jess thought for stopping made Jess feel uneasy about losing herself. In the morning they would find here parents. She was sure. The travelers found a nearby cave to spend the night in. ?Good night friends,? said Jess as she fell asleep.

Morning was coming and the friends had just woken up from a restful night sleep. For Jess it felt really good to get a entire night sleep. ?Let?s go! I will find my parents today,? Jess said with great determination. ?Ok we are with you all the way,? said Hanah stepping out of the cave, ?I am leaving, come on.?

Then she stopped...

Standing directly in front of her was a huge buffalo staring down at here with its beady glare seeming as if it was studying her head to foot.

Then Its eyes turned to Deren who was in the corner hiding behind Jess.

The buffalo studied all of them very carefully and once its eyes lingered once more on Jess, the buffalo sharply turned away. ?I..I.I..think I know him,? stammered Jess, ?he was one of the animals I helped. They were fighting over a water hole, I think his name was Xavier. Let me call him see if he answers.? ?Good idea. Go on try it.? Said Hanah. ?Z...z...xavier? Is that you?? Jess asked, ?Were you the buffalo I helped the other day, fighting over the water hole?? ?Me..?? He asked looking at Jess, ?Ohh yes, I remember you. You were nice and you were lost right?? ?Yes. That is me. I am still lost and these friends of mine are trying to help me find my family.? Said Jess pointing to her friends, ?If you want you can help,? continued Jess hopping he would, ?you could fight danger with your mighty strength.? ?Ohh yes, let me think about it. It would be very nice to come along.

But I have my family here and I can?t leave them. We are going that way,? he said pointing towards a hill, ?to go try to find food. See every year the buffaloes leave this area and then next year we come back.? ?But you could still come along we were going in that same direction. Over those rocky hills. If we find my family over there we could have a party and invite your family.? ?Ok! I will come along. But if you are ever going in a different direction I am afraid I will need to leave you. By the way what are your names? As you probably heard I am Xavier.? He said in a cheerful tone. ?Well I am Jess, and the cheetahs here are hanah and Deren and the elephant is Briana but you can call her Bri. Know let?s get going or we will never find them!?

By this time it was already 11:00 am. and the team was getting hungry but most of all thirsty. They decided to drink a little water from a nearby spring and then continue their journey towards the hills.

By now it was 1:00 and the team had gone quite far. They had gone over a hill, crossed a river and now they were nearing the top of the other hill. Xavier ?s family was far behind them now, but still heading in their same direction, following their path.

Then quite suddenly after Deren and Hanah had gone searching around a huge bolder, they came running back Deren shouting as he went? ?Danger!! There are two humans with guns hiding around the bend. I over heard them, and they want to kill an elephant for its tusks. They won?t kill and other animal though because if they do the department of national wildlife will get them in trouble. We need to make a plan! And we need to do it fast! They are nearing!? ?Ok calm down, lets see... I am usually good at making plans,? said Xavier, ?listen closely. Bri your job is to stay hidden the entire time. They want you, so you need to stay safe. Hanah and Deren you guys will stay on guard for me and Jess tell us when to start our parts. Jess you will need to act. You will walk in front of them ?not noticing?they are existent. Act sick and injured and act well. When their focusing on you, Jess, I will come up from behind and attack. I will not kill them but I might injure them and make them scared, so they don?t come back. Ok? Everyone got it? Remember Deren and Hanah you are in charge. Keep everyone notified of what is happening, even Bri. Tell us when to go out to act, tell us when and where to move, tell us when those dumb humans are far far away.

Deren with me, Hanah go with Jess. Action!!?

At this remark every one ran to their places. Bri went ways away hiding in a bunch of plants, Jess and Hanah made their way quietly behind the rock where they were and Deren and Xavier went over behind them.

Everyone was terrified. What if the humans shot? What if they didn?t care that there was an ?injured?lion? What if the plan failed? Jess thought but this was their only hope. This was their only way around it. They had to do it! Jess was lost in her thoughts. Right then Hanah ran up and gave her the signal. It was time she do her part. She walked out there into the middle of the area in front of the humans. She acted as if she had terribly hurt her front paw. ?It?s was time for the attack,? Deren told Xavier. Xavier then launched himself out onto the rocks he sped towards the humans just in time for them to turn around. As they did so Xavier through the first one up into the air. He sobered up and up. His gun fell from his hand almost hitting Xavier himself. Then Jess saw the other man pointing his gun at Xavier.

Roar! ?Roar!? Jess shouted. It was the first time she had ever roared for real. Then she did it again and again, ?Roar! Roar! Roar!? The other man looked and started to move his gun now facing Jess. It was too late for him. Xavier had seen this and now the second man was getting thrown up into the air.

All of a sudden there were animals crowding all around the area. Giraffes, zebras gazelles and lions, buffalo, elephants, ostrich and rinos. All different types staring at these humans getting tossed by the buffalo Xavier.

Finally Xavier ordered to let them down and the giraffes obayed. Once the humans got down they ran away crying for help. Not even getting their guns.

Then a voice rang out to all the animals, ?Honoring the animals and the teamwork of everyone we will have a huge feast to celebrate! It will be tonight! Everyone will get ready now! It will be in 30 minutes at the dot It will go until midnight. If you have little children still bring them and they will be put to bed at 9:30 in the back room of our cave. Know Go!?

Jess recognized this voice from somewhere. It was very familiar. But where? Then she remembered. It was her dad, of course! He was talking to all the animals! He was after all the king of the jungle! Jess ran towards the voice searching and searching for the familias sweat face of her father 's.

She had found him! Standing in the center, everyone crowded around him all staring at him with full respect. Jess ran up and jumped onto his back crying of pure joy. Her friends had helped her so much! In this long journey, never giving up, leading her through moments of happy and sad, moments of desperateness and laughter.

It was her party! She danced and danced. She had a great time all afternoon.

Here dad had honored Bri, Hanah, Deren, and Xavier all to say thank you. Midnight was nearing and animals were heading out of the cave. Jess and her friends sat down next to their families and told them their entire story. All the ups and down, the goods and the bads. Everything was ok, Jess had found her family and nothing more than her friends and her family was more important. Her friends were happy and laughing as they stepped out.

Jess was home! She had realized that being a good friend was very important and caring about your family. Her friends were happy with their families.

Everyone was forgiven and appreciated.

About the HS Empathy Book Project The grade 5 Literacy Group students published and illustrated these empathy picture books as keep sake gifts for their High School buddies. The grade 5 Literacy Group students conducted several empathy interviews with their High School buddy. These interviews were designed to help the grade 5 students to understand key components of their buddy?s identity, which were captured in these picture books.

Prior to the interviews and picture book project, the grade 5 students investigated ?what makes a great story? by closely reading several award-winning picture books. They learned about plot, character development, author ?s craft, and literary devices. The grade 5 Literacy Group students even inquired about a literary device of their choosing, developed a lesson plan for their High School Senior, and then taught the concept through an interactive small group mini-lesson to that senior. Those literary devices made it into these picture books as our students know that, properly employed, they enhance a great story.

The grade 5 Literacy Group students should be commended for the energy and enthusiasm poured into these final products. Our hope is that our Nido High School Seniors appreciate the pieces of ?their identity?that our students crafted into their picture books.

About the Relationship Del Cartwright meet Mariela Miranda when Mariela was in Del?s mom?s class (Mrs. Cartwright). Del would come in and visit her mom while they were in class. Like this, Del and Mariela started knowing each other. Del got to know Mariela better after many years when finally she became a senior.. In lit club as we were doing a project on making a picture book for some of the seĂąors who were graduating this year.

Mariela and Del became buddies, and Del conducted an empathy interview through person and via email.

With these interviews Del got to know Mariela a lot better than before. Mariela is an caring person that loves to help. She also loves sports (sorry I couldn?t add this in your story). Mariela is a explorer and likes to travel. She also loves her family and friends. She has a big personality and people appreciate her. We wish Mariela the best as she goes into the next phase of her life, and that she bring her caring, helpful ways to the world.