Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

 

Blackall, Sophie. Hello Lighthouse. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2018. ISBN 978-0-316-36238-2

Plot

“On the highest rock of a tiny island / at the edge of the world stands a lighthouse.” So begins the tale of a lighthouse and its keeper. Hello Lighthouse describes the typical day-to-day tasks of the lighthouse keeper, from polishing the lens, keeping the logbook, and greeting the tender to sewing, drinking tea, and fishing for dinner. More eventful days are described as well, such as the rescue of shipwrecked sailors, an illness during which the keeper’s wife handles all of the necessary tasks, and the arrival of their child. With the modernization of the lighthouse—a machine to run the light—the keeper and his family move back to shore, but they are still able keep watch over the lighthouse from their new home.

Analysis

Themes of loneliness and love, duty and family, and progress and inevitability are threaded throughout this work. Beautifully detailed ink-and-watercolor illustrations will draw readers in as the straightforward recounting of events gives readers a glimpse into the past. A circular motif, bringing to mind portholes and lighthouse rooms, is present throughout the book. Oil lamps, hand-written letters, and a wood stove set the stage for the lives of a lighthouse keeper and his family. A cutaway illustration showing the complete interior of the lighthouse lets readers imagine what it would have been like to live and work there in years gone by. The echo of text and repetition of key phrases (“tends the light” and “writes in the logbook”) connects routine everyday tasks with exceptional occurrences. The unchanging position of the lighthouse on the page and the refrain of “Hello! …Hello! …Hello!” that mimics the continual rotation of the light lends a steadiness and reliability to the lighthouse, even as the weather and seasons are changing around it and the family grows within. Bold strokes are used for crashing waves that beat against the lighthouse during a storm, but the lighthouse does not waver.

Tending a solitary lighthouse seems a lonely existence, but family, warmth, and color inside of the lighthouse brings comfort, and the love the keeper and his family have for the lighthouse is evident in the way they care for it. After the lighthouse is upgraded and the keeper is no longer needed to tend the lighthouse, he and his family move to shore. But a foldout page shows that this is not a true goodbye, as the light from the family’s new home greets the lighthouse in a “Hello! …Hello! …Hello! Hello, Lighthouse!”

Awards and Recognitions

Sophie Blackall received a Caldecott Medal for her distinguished artwork in Hello Lighthouse. The book also received several starred reviews and is featured on a number of bestselling lists and recommended reading lists.

“This tribute to lighthouses of an earlier era focuses on one lighthouse and its dedicated keeper… A fascinating, splendidly executed peek into both the mundane and the dramatic aspects of lighthouse life.” – Kirkus Starred Review

“Blackall’s charmingly old-fashioned art style is beautifully matched to this nostalgia-rich story, which imbues an antiquated place with warmth and wonder.” – Booklist Starred Review

“A lovely picture book, recommended for all libraries. A delightful bedtime read perfect for one on one sharing.” – School Library Journal Starred Review

Connections

This historically accurate picture book would lend itself well to a unit about how people used to live. A section in the endpapers, “About Lighthouses,” shows the research and inspiration that went into the while giving additional insight into the historical job of a lighthouse keeper. Older children and students could try their hand at writing letters to friends and family “back home,” imagining what they would write about if they were tending a lighthouse. This could lead to a discussion about the activities and hobbies that occupied a lighthouse keeper’s time, and children could also try some fun needlework crafts and model ship projects.

Consider reading additional historically based books illustrated by Sophie Blackall, such as

• A Fine Dessert, written by Emily Jenkins
• A Voyage in the Clouds, written by Matthew Olshan
• Finding Winnie, written by Lindsay Mattick
• Red Butterfly, written by Deborah Noyes

Read other books about the sea, such as:

• Out of the Blue, illustrated by Alison Jay
• One Tiny Turtle, written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Jane Chapman
• The Storm Whale, written and illustrated by Benji Davies
• Flotsam, illustrated by David Wiesner
• Swimmy, written and illustrated by Leo Lionni

Let these books spark a conversation about life in and near the sea.

*This review was written for a youth literature class through Texas Woman’s University.