I was at the Miami Book Fair International for three days this past week. Telling stories. Seeing the unbelievable throngs of people passing between the rows of tents full of books. Being happy. Telling stories. Meeting new friends, seeing some old ones. I read our children's book Three Little Birds which is based on the lyrics of Bob Marley's song.

Bob Marley was born Nesta Robert Marley, February 6, in the Jamaican town of Nine Miles -- Nine Mile is how they say it in Jamaica but it's on the maps as Nine Miles. Anyway, Bob was born there in the hills of sweet St. Ann Parish in the year 1945. Today, so they say, there is not a time during the day when, somewhere in the world at large, someone is not listening to a song by Bob Marley.

Still there are children, young children mostly, who do not know him. Which makes this book written with Cedella, Bob's eldest daughter, all the more important, especially to me. A few years ago when Cedella and I read from our other book The Boy From Nine Miles, she sang Three Little Birds acappella. This time, Cedella wasn't there but my younger daughter Hannah was, and she sang the song very sweetly and the whole audience joined in.

The three little birds, most probably Jamaican doves, visited Bob twice "with messages pure and true." First, the day he was born, the birds came to his windowsill. This was embraced as a sign according to Bob's maternal grandfather Omeriah who said, "I think that a new day is dawning." Later in life while visiting his old home village, Bob saw the three little birds again. They offered him fresh insight and inspiration and he wrote the song that is now one of his most popular.

Don't worry about a thing
cause every little thing gonna be all right

No wonder the song is so beloved. We need to hear those words again and again and again. Check the book, you'll like it. Our daughter Hannah sings it. Our other daughter Mariah created the pictures for the book. I am twice blessed, thrice blessed,knowing Cedella.