The book I read that had a setting in Africa is called Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan. I would rate this book with four stars out of five. There are 194 pages in this book. It was published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2005. I think that this book is a little better than Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan. Homeless Bird was also about tragedy in a young girl’s life. She lived without her parents and went to live with another family who did not treat her well. The same things happen in Listening for Lions to Rachel. She also lived without her parents but her parents died, but Koly was simply married off and never saw her parents again.
This book is in first person point of view, because Rachel is basically talking to the reader about herself. This means she says “I” instead of the author writing “she”. This story takes place in Tumaini, Africa. Rachel lives in a small house with her parents, who are doctors and missionaries. Near their house is the hospital for any race in which her parents work. There are many external conflicts in the story, such as: There is a big influenza epidemic, and her parents soon die. But the neighbors’ (the Pritchards) red-headed daughter Valerie just died. They are evil people and make Rachel act as if she were Valerie. Then the setting goes to a place called Stagsway in England. This is where there is a reserve for birds so bird watchers can enjoy. The Pritchards send Rachel there because Mr. Pritchard’s father is very sick. Valerie was supposed to visit her grandfather, who is very wealthy, and persuade him to give Stagsway to her parents. Rachel is supposed to do this, but she doesn’t. But she does act as if she were Valerie because she was convinced that if she didn’t he would die. She felt terrible and guilty about this. Grandfather finds out that Rachel is an imposter, and he is very angry at the Pritchards. But he has grown to love Rachel so he adopts her. She spends about eight years with him, but he died when she was about twenty years old. At this time she went to medical school to follow her parents’ path. She returned to Tumaini and rebuilt the hospital. Kanoro was like her babysitter when she was a child. When Rachel returned he was very sick. She found out that he had malaria, and knew how to treat him. He soon became well again. A group of men came to rebuild the hospital and Rachel became a doctor just as her parents had been.
In the beginning, Rachel is a young girl of about thirteen. She is only educated
when her mother has time, and she doesn’t learn much other than how to read.
Rachel knows a few things about how to take care of those who are sick, and
sometimes helps around the hospital and the house. She is very polite but
a little quiet. Rachel is very loving, kind, and caring.
Kanoro is an African man that helps take care of Rachel when her parents aren’t
able to. He is loving and slightly quiet, too. Kanoro has a son named Ngigi. When
Rachel returns from England, Ngigi tells Rachel his father is sick, and she rushes to
the village where he lives. He is older and weak from malaria, but he still has the same, kind personality. Once he is better, he is happy and strong again. Kanoro is a very hard worker.
I really enjoyed this book. I have read it before, but I didn’t remember much, so I read it again. I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time I read it. I don’t like that there is a lot of tragedy, but it is still a wonderful book. I loved this book and I am glad I read it again.
Listening for Lions
African Novel Project
By Brittany Lostetter
The book I read that had a setting in Africa is called Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan. I would rate this book with four stars out of five. There are 194 pages in this book. It was published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2005. I think that this book is a little better than Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan. Homeless Bird was also about tragedy in a young girl’s life. She lived without her parents and went to live with another family who did not treat her well. The same things happen in Listening for Lions to Rachel. She also lived without her parents but her parents died, but Koly was simply married off and never saw her parents again.
This book is in first person point of view, because Rachel is basically talking to the reader about herself. This means she says “I” instead of the author writing “she”. This story takes place in Tumaini, Africa. Rachel lives in a small house with her parents, who are doctors and missionaries. Near their house is the hospital for any race in which her parents work. There are many external conflicts in the story, such as: There is a big influenza epidemic, and her parents soon die. But the neighbors’ (the Pritchards) red-headed daughter Valerie just died. They are evil people and make Rachel act as if she were Valerie. Then the setting goes to a place called Stagsway in England. This is where there is a reserve for birds so bird watchers can enjoy. The Pritchards send Rachel there because Mr. Pritchard’s father is very sick. Valerie was supposed to visit her grandfather, who is very wealthy, and persuade him to give Stagsway to her parents. Rachel is supposed to do this, but she doesn’t. But she does act as if she were Valerie because she was convinced that if she didn’t he would die. She felt terrible and guilty about this. Grandfather finds out that Rachel is an imposter, and he is very angry at the Pritchards. But he has grown to love Rachel so he adopts her. She spends about eight years with him, but he died when she was about twenty years old. At this time she went to medical school to follow her parents’ path. She returned to Tumaini and rebuilt the hospital. Kanoro was like her babysitter when she was a child. When Rachel returned he was very sick. She found out that he had malaria, and knew how to treat him. He soon became well again. A group of men came to rebuild the hospital and Rachel became a doctor just as her parents had been.
In the beginning, Rachel is a young girl of about thirteen. She is only educated
when her mother has time, and she doesn’t learn much other than how to read.
Rachel knows a few things about how to take care of those who are sick, and
sometimes helps around the hospital and the house. She is very polite but
a little quiet. Rachel is very loving, kind, and caring.
Kanoro is an African man that helps take care of Rachel when her parents aren’t
able to. He is loving and slightly quiet, too. Kanoro has a son named Ngigi. When
Rachel returns from England, Ngigi tells Rachel his father is sick, and she rushes to
the village where he lives. He is older and weak from malaria, but he still has the same, kind personality. Once he is better, he is happy and strong again. Kanoro is a very hard worker.
I really enjoyed this book. I have read it before, but I didn’t remember much, so I read it again. I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time I read it. I don’t like that there is a lot of tragedy, but it is still a wonderful book. I loved this book and I am glad I read it again.