This lovely picture book describes how a young girl patiently listens to the shell her grandfather has given her, hoping to hear the sea. As she accompanies her grandmother through her week's activities and all the distracting noises of the African village setting, she persists in listening for the sea, until, finally, with a little encouragement from her grandfather, the magic works. The simple text is perfectly matched by Ken Wilson-Max's illustrations which use outlined blocks of vibrant colours.