''Listening for Lions'' is a children's novel by Gloria Whelan, first published in 2005. Set in 1919, it concerns an orphaned girl who becomes involved in an inheritance swindle.

Plot summary

Rachel Sheridan is the only child of British missionaries working among the Kikuyu and Masai tribes of

British East Africa East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was an area in the African Great Lakes occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Controlled by Britai ...

(present-day

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

). Her father is a doctor and her mother is a teacher. Life goes haywire as an

influenza epidemic Flu season is an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of an outbreak of influenza (flu). The season occurs during the cold half of the year in each hemisphere. It takes approximately two days to show symptoms. Influen ...

strikes when Rachel is 13, in 1919. Many die from the sickness, including her mother and father. The Pritchards, arrogant and extremely rich people who live nearby, bring their daughter Valerie to the hospital, but it is too late to save her. After Rachel's father dies, it appears the hospital will be closed, and she is taken in by the Pritchards. They persuade the reluctant Rachel to impersonate their daughter, sending her in Valerie's place to visit her dying grandfather in England, on the pretext that it will save his life. Rachel considers telling people of the Pritchards' lies on the ship, but she soon arrives in England and begins to develop a close relationship with her "grandfather", who, like her, is very fond of birds. Just as things begin to get better, the Pritchards' unveil their new plot, to take the grandfather's property when he dies and secretly threaten to expose Rachel as an impostor if she refuses to comply. In scorn of his son, the grandfather sends them away, but his trusty solicitor, Mr. Grumbloch, gives Rachel his address and tells her to come in an emergency. Rachel comes within the day, and Grumbloch returns her to her grandfather. Rachel tells him the truth regarding her identity, which he and Grumbloch have already suspected. Rachel is adopted by grandfather Pritchard and she attends school. He leaves his estate to an ornithological society and ensures that Rachel will be able to complete her education. Years later, she becomes a doctor and returns to Africa to work at her father's hospital.

Critical reception

The

audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sc ...

recording of ''Listening for Lions'' received an

Audie Award The Audie Awards (, rhymes with "gaudy"; abbreviated from ''audiobook''), or simply the Audies, are awards for achievement in spoken word, particularly audiobook narration and audiodrama performance, published in the United States of America. They ...

as well as '' AudioFile'' magazine's

Earphones Award ''AudioFile'' is a print and online magazine whose mission is to review "unabridged and abridged audiobooks, original audio programs, commentary, and dramatizations in the spoken-word format. The focus of reviews is the audio presentation, not the ...

. ''AudioFile'' called the story "solid" and

Bianca Amato Bianca Amato is a South African actress known for her work in American theatre, as a prolific audiobook performer and for her portrayal of Philippa De Villiers in the original cast of the South African soap opera ''Isidingo''. Career Amato was ...

's narration "stellar."

References

2005 American novels American children's novels Children's historical novels Novels set in the 1910s 2005 children's books Novels by Gloria Whelan Children's books set in Kenya Children's books set in England Children's books set in the 1910s {{2000s-child-hist-novel-stub