Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

"On the highest rock of a tiny island

at the edge of the world stands a lighthouse."

Bibliography:

Blackall, Sophie. 2018. Hello Lighthouse. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 9780316362382

Plot Summary:

A lighthouse stands alone on the highest rock of a tiny island at the edge of the world. The new keeper arrives to continue tending to the lighthouse duties and responsibilities, including keeping the lamps in motion and polished for sailors at sea and logging a daily diary. As the days pass, the keeper begins to feel lonely for being at sea by himself and writes to his wife every few days waiting for a reply. As the keeper maintains the lighthouse, his wife arrives with food and supplies and helps make lighthouse life a little easier. The wife settles in and helps the keeper with tasks, such as caring for sailors lost at sea and nurturing her husband when he falls ill. At the highlight of their life, the couple brings a baby into the world and makes their long days brighter. Time moves forward; until one day, the lighthouse is no longer in need of the keeper and his family. The lighthouse stands strong on its own as the keeper and family admire it from afar.

Critical Analysis:

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall is a beautifully illustrated picture book that thoroughly captures a lighthouse's essence and a lighthouse keeper's life. The acute details throughout the book will leave readers in awe and have them ponder over something they may have missed each time they pick up this book. Not only are the illustrations mesmerizing, but the story itself is educational and has historical value. Readers of all ages will have a better understanding of lighthouses and keepers after reading this book, especially from the author's note at the end.

Although the characters do not have names, they are still strong individuals showing the importance of love, relationships, and family. Even with little background information, the characters are well-rounded, demonstrated through their actions, such as caring for the sailors at shipwreck, protecting one another, and their attentiveness to the lighthouse. Readers from all backgrounds will relate to the family's values and will wish that they could take a day to live in a lighthouse too (the views from the lighthouse alone would be something remarkable to see). The universal theme of responsibility, loyalty, family, and love is also relevant to all who pick up this book.

The setting is essential to the story as the lighthouse at sea sets the stage. The keeper has to maintain his duties to shine the light for sailors throughout every living condition, including storms, fog, ice, and perfect weather climates. The author captures the passage of time through the details illustrated in the story as readers see the keeper living alone, life when his wife arrives, the span of the wife's pregnancy, childbirth, toddlerhood, and when their time at the lighthouse is complete.

The plot is subtle but packs a punch. Life in a lighthouse can be monotonous, but the story quickly captures the readers' attention through conditions that arise. The story's resolution is satisfying and unexpectedly sweet, especially when readers will begin to feel sentimental for the keeper's loss of his lighthouse responsibilities. The story's style and illustrations depict suitable tones and moods throughout, which perfectly combines text features and artwork to complement storytelling; for example, the spiraling of the words and the staircase expressing the length of the lighthouse and the movements within the story. Additionally, the circular illustrations and words that enhance the realistic nature of the wife's pregnancy. The repetition of words, like "hello lighthouse," also adds a nice touch of anthropomorphism, human characteristics, to the lighthouse. The gorgeous ink and watercolor patterns enrich contrasting and vibrant colors, which exhibit the lifelike ocean, horizon, and lighthouse. The crucial details are subtle yet add much more to the story, such as the nearly unnoticeable hand-embroidered whale that the keeper threads when the story starts and is displayed again as a finished piece in the lighthouse and at the very end in the family's new home.

Readers will fall in love with this story and have a new appreciation for lighthouses and keepers.

Review Excerpts:

Awards & Recognitions:

2019 Caldecott Medal Winner.
Notable Children's Book by the New York Times.
Named Best Book of 2018 by:

People
The Boston Globe
Kirkus Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
The Horn Book

From Kirkus Reviews, "A fascinating, splendidly executed peek into both the mundane and the dramatic aspects of lighthouse life."

From The New York Times, "I will be surprised if a more exquisite book will be published this year."

Connections:

Draw a picture of a Lighthouse and send a copy to the author on Instagram @sophieblackall. Librarians can send children's work with their permission or have a parent or guardian send it for them.
Write a letter to a friend or family member and send it in a bottle through the sea; if you don't live near an ocean, try a river or nearby body of water.
Discussion: Share what you learned about lighthouses and lighthouse keepers after reading Hello Lighthouse. What were you most surprised about? Which was your favorite illustration?

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Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall