ANIMAL LISTENERS

An Australian girl’s newfound ability to converse with myriad animals turns her life upside down in Aveen’s debut middle-grade novel.

When a singing magpie suddenly belts out some English words, 11-year-old Quinby Clark is understandably taken aback. She finds she’s able to speak with a few animals, though to others in the vicinity, it sounds like she’s simply mimicking animal sounds. As an apparent “Animal Listener,” Quinby earns an invitation to a boarding school that caters to youngsters who have the same ability. She’s all too happy to escape a household with an abusive father, equally vicious older brothers, and a seemingly indifferent mother. At the school, Quinby attends familiar classes like French while “Exploring” which animals she can converse with. A problem arises when a local councillor wants a colony of flying foxes (aka fruit bats) to relocate to a national park. The flying foxes instead target councillors in a way that only aerial animals can, an action that some blame on Quinby’s alleged encouragement. Quinby vows to protect the flying foxes while identifying the actual Listener who’s stirring up trouble. Aveen steeps this narrative in an environmental message: The school’s exclusively vegan meals are obviously not meat-free just for health reasons, and the primary goal of some Listeners is “to save the planet from human destruction through climate change.” The animal cast is divine, featuring personable dogs, cats, hens, and alpacas as well as such lesser-known species as currawongs and superb fairy-wrens. The humans shine, too, starting with sympathetic Quinby; she’s ever-resilient in the face of hateful individuals at the school, including her own roommate. Accompanying Quinby are students and faculty members hailing from other countries and different backgrounds. While this lengthy novel certainly isn’t a quick read, it’s easy to rally behind the young hero, who also takes on a puppy farm.

Engaging multispecies characters headline a tale that’s both insightful and diverting.