Abela: The Girl Who Saw Lions

Written by Berlie Doherty

Narrated by Janice Acquah

Be strong, my Abela." These are the last words of Abela's mother in their HIV/Aids stricken African village, where it seems that to live or to die, to be sick or to be healthy, is just a matter of chance. It takes all Abela's strength to survive her Uncle Thomas's scheming to get to Europe, but what will be her fate as an illegal immigrant? "I don't want a sister or brother," thinks Rosa in England, when her mother tells her that she wants to adopt a child. Could these two girls ever become sisters? Is there room in Rosa's family for an African orphan haunted by lions? Is there room in their hearts?

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
• Release date: Aug 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781407447759

Berlie Doherty

Berlie Doherty began writing for children in 1983, after teaching and working in radio. She has written more than 35 books for children, as well as for the theatre, radio and television. Berlie has won the Carnegie Medal twice: in 1987 for GRANNY WAS A BUFFER GIRL and in 1992 for DEAR NOBODY. She has also won the Writer's Guild Children's Fiction Award for DAUGHTER OF THE SEA. Her work is published all over the world, and many of her books have been televised.

Reviews for Abela

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A poignant, moving story about a young African orphan.

[elenaestrada_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

How much reality is too much reality? In “The Girl who Saw Lion” Berlie Doherty attempts to write a novel about Abela, an African child who is left orphaned and unprotected. In the novel she must quickly cope with the fact that her father has died, her mother is dying from aides and her baby sister is dying as well. The society she lives in, and the culture that surrounds her, is unable to provide any support to her. In fact her own family takes advantage of her desperate situation and she is truly alone in a hostile world. Eventually she becomes property of the state where she is adopted and united to a single parent run household. Here Adela finds the love and support needed to recapture a childhood lost, and she once again transitions into a member of the family with a “new” sister Rose and a “new” mother. I would recommend this book to families who are in the process of adopting international children, or to adults who want to bring social awareness to young children about the realities of foster children. Certainly, young minds can read the book but it would be ideal if they were given the social context of the main idea of the story. Some children become refugees and lose their families, and some world organizations work through adoptions to find suitable homes where these children may find new families who can love and support them. Ages 5th grade and Up

[kb143317 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After Abela has lost many of her family members in Africa to disease; her Uncle Thomas creates a scheme to get both of them a passport to England. Once Abela makes it to England she faces a world full of harsh adventures. By the end of the book she is granted true residence and becomes a member of Jen Warren and her half Tanzanian 13 year old daughter Rosa’s family.I feel that this book is written in the perfect point of view of a child who is in the social services system. I also liked how it addressed the HIV/AIDS epidemic of Africa.Extension Ideas1. Discuss the process it takes to become a USA citizen.2. Discuss what AIDS is, what it does to your body, and how you can contract it from a person who has AIDS.

[katec9999 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel tells the story of two girls with very different lives. Abela lives in Tanzania on the continent of Africa, and is dealing with the death of her mother and baby sister from AIDS. Abela’s uncle has recently been kicked out of London for being there illegally, and he comes up with a plan to return that involves Abela possibly being sold as a domestic servant. Rosa lives in a suburb of London with her mother, who is considering adopting another child. The thought of sharing her mother, her home, and her life with another child who is a stranger makes Rosa very uncomfortable.This book sensitively and honestly deals with some tough subject matters, but the intertwining of Abela’s and Rosa’s lives makes for a positive and uplifting story.