DZRoar

Lionel’s First Roar is a story about the isolation of not being heard, and the joy of discovering not just sound, but a voice of your very own.

The book tells the story of Lionel, a young lion who can’t share in the sounds and joys of his family and life on the African plains until one day, when amazing visitors arrive with a magical gift. The gift of hearing. But hearing is only the beginning of Lionel’s adventure. Because once Lionel can hear the world, he sets out to do something he never dreamed possible: to find his own roar, his voice, and his place in the pride.

At the heart of this story, around the world, many children are given the gift of hearing, but never the chance to find their own voice. Lionel’s First Roar is about that second gift, and the belief that every child deserves both: to hear, and to be heard. The book, along with the Lionel plush, is given to children alongside the gift of hearing in deaf schools and on hearing missions. So that in a moment that can feel confusing and overwhelming, they know for certain: they are not alone, and their roar is waiting inside. Your donations place Lionel into a child’s hands — and give each of them the chance to discover a roar all their own. Every gift helps another child learn they are not alone.

Lionel is just one element of our Freedom of Hearing Program, which works to break the silence for children everywhere and empower them with the full freedom of communication. The choice to sign, to speak, and to be understood however they choose.