In all 8 volumes of the book, Exploring Our World: Meet Amazing Animals of the Seven Continents and the Caribbean Isles, where a child "MIRO" star enlightens us, through inquisitive questioning, on life in their world. Not only do they require knowledge of their ancestors/species lineage, name meaning, geographical orientation/habitats, physical characteristics, behavioral patterns, and their senses, they proudly claim their icon-ship as cultural symbols of the animal kingdom and as famous engineers, track stars, and superheroes. They promote world peace and diplomacy in their duties as "cultural ambassadors", following in the footsteps of Jamaica's musical group, Third World in their song titled "Reggae Ambassador". On a more serious note, coming out of the mouth of babes, child MIROs, with a big heart but little voice of their own, belt out a loud cry for help in a chorus of condemnation. To all who read the pages of these books, these child stars are imploring us, through their profiles, the question narratives, and the appendices, to take a stand on the plight of their kind. Animal/MIRO cruelty as noted in the perils and threats section, comes in the form of inhumane treatment from physical abuse and torture, exploitation as circus animals, movie actors, and forced fighting/bullfighters, human predation, pollution, loss of habitat, displacement, inflicting pains and suffering, and neglect as well as emotional abuse from caging that prevents social interaction with family and friends, deprivation and starvation from feeding them wrong foods, and hoarding, cross-breeding, overhunting, overtraining, and over-testing them. These child stars are staking a claim to their future in their birth countries, regions, and habitats that their ancestors lived in for millions of years and now they are being "evicted" from their own ancestral lands and pushed on the streets for vehicular traffic to run them over or for them to rummage in garbage bins for food, only to be shot dead for intruding on private property in sprawling luxurious housing complexes. They are urging humankind to fight on their behalf through legal advocacy, demonstrations, and peaceful protests for humane slaughtering techniques, ethical testing, and delivering compassionate speeches on the MIROs' behalf in a race against time.
Author Biography:
The little MIROs, featured in the narrative questions, are seeking their rights of passage and are grateful to animal rights organizations such as ASPCA - the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and to the governments and city hall that pass laws protecting the rights of animals as well as several other entities including conservationists and veterinary doctors and their staff who put their life on the line for them. As you know, it takes a village to raise our own precious children and the young MIRO are happy that so many societal heroes care about their future too, and are acting on their behalf. These are our national treasures too. In many cases, they bolster ecotourism and bring in much-needed funding to help, not only themselves live a better life, but the income also provides a living for many families. Cases, documented in the books, show how they are helping, not harming, the environment. In one or two cases, they had to turn the table and point the finger on those who say otherwise. We, Drs. Robinson, Walker, and Meade Thompson feel that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that our precious MIROS are beautiful creatures, created by God as he did us. Let's stop decimating and displacing our MIROs. Join us in trying to make a difference by heeding the appeal of these young 'uns. It is our responsibility to advocate on behalf of these voiceless or languageless beings. Several ways in which they communicate are through trumpet and bugle calls, roars, growls, yelps, bawls, screams, screeches, hoots, hisses, buzzes, snorts, boons, chuffs, huffs, puffs, and even resort to coughing, laughing, and twittering. Don't let their sounds go in vain because they cannot speak our language. Our MIRO Mission is that they are leaving their hoof/paw/claw print on this planet earth, and we, through this book series, are leaving our pen print for the world of animal lovers, whether child or adult, to read and heed the call to action. Our motto is: Say it loud, we love MIROs and are proud.
