Review - Hello Lighthouse

Hello Lighthouse
by Sophie Blackall
Date: 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

A lavish new picture book from Caldecott-winner Sophie Blackall that will transport readers to the seaside in timeless, nautical splendor!

Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp's wick, and writes every detail in his logbook. Step back in time and through the door of this iconic lighthouse into a cozy dollhouse-like interior with the extraordinary Sophie Blackall.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Hello Lighthouse is a pretty little picture book with a very nautical feel. I read it in e-book format, but I suspect that the physical versions are tall and narrow, reflecting the shape of a lighthouse.

There's not much in the way of plot. Rather, the story shows the day-to-day life of a lighthouse keeper and--eventually--his family. We get to see the inside of a lighthouse and learn about the operation of it. We see the loneliness and the boredom, but also the excitement and danger that comes with the position. All of this is illustrated in beautiful pictures that evoke a sense of calm.

A nice note is included at the end that talks a little more about lighthouses and the people who ran them. It's kind of sad that this is no longer a way of life, but at least we still have the stories and--in some cases--the lighthouses themselves to remind us of a bygone era.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5