Your friendly neighborhood children’s librarian here, stopping by with a recommendation that caught my eye a few weeks ago. I love finding new writers and artists to add to my mental folder of “folks whose work I love and will keep an eye out for,” so I was very pleased to discover illustrator Benji Davies and his beautiful work in this illustrated chapter book. I don’t remember how I came across it, but it’s been sitting on my book table for ages and I finally read it and loved it so much. I promptly hunted down some of Davies’ picture books–I particularly enjoyed The Storm Whale and The Storm Whale in Winter–and I can’t wait to discover more from him. But stories set by the sea are always a favorite of mine, so this lighthouse tale will have the top spot in my heart for now. Author Michael Morpugo (whose name you might know from War Horse or several other popular children’s tales published in the UK) has borrowed the real-life name of Allen Williams Lane, the founder of Penguin Books, and crafted a fictional story around him.
In this tale, young Allen and his mother are saved from a shipwreck by a somewhat reclusive lighthouse keeper, and even though they don’t communicate for several years, Allen returns to the lighthouse when he is grown and the two form a special bond, particularly over their love for painting. I found myself getting teary at the end–it’s a story for artistic souls, that’s for sure.
I read through this very slowly because I relished the discovery of new Benji Davies illustrations on almost every page. (I would love to see more highly-illustrated excellent chapter books!) I just love his style so much–it’s rich and detailed but somehow still round and cozy and kid-friendly. There’s a page that shows a close-up of the lighthouse keeper’s hands releasing a puffin that took my breath away. I think the frequency of the illustrations here is something that helps the story feel more immersive and encompassing than other chapter books–maybe that’s why I resonated with it so much. I closed it with a smile on my face–it’s just lovely, and if you track this one down I hope you think so, too.
You can find her on Instagram @bookishredreads, sharing more books that are lovely, fun, or interesting.
- “Pax” and Animal Stories - July 31, 2024
- Michael Morpugo’s “The Puffin Keeper” - February 14, 2024
- Making the World More Beautiful (with Miss Rumphius) - May 17, 2023
Thank you for this recommendation! I put it on hold at the library!!