When Sarah's grandfather goes off for a few days he leaves her with a gift of a shell, which he says she can hear the sea in. Everyday he is away Sarah listens and listens but all she hears are the regular sounds of her life with her grandmother in the small village in which they live. But when Grandfather returns he shows Sarah that listening is a special skill that often involves imagination, and soon she is enjoying the sounds of the sea. A delightful tale of everyday life in a location that is perhaps not entirely familiar to all readers.