African Heartbeat is the name of a new children's book that illustrates the benefits of being generous.

The main characters in the book are two young girls — one in the U.S., the other in Africa. The American girl's family financially supports the girl in Africa, and both their lives are changed forever.

The book is fictional, but it's based on reality. Author Barb Christing decided to write it after watching her own daughter's reaction to the young boy in Malawi their family helped sponsor.