The Abandoned Lighthouse

Gr 1—3—There isn't a wasted word in this existential gem. Its main character is a mysterious little rowboat that first appears to a bear, who climbs in for a nap. He drifts to the open sea and lands on a little island, an abandoned lighthouse guarding its cliffs. The boat drifts off again and beaches itself near a little boy and his dog who, while fetching an errant ball, are similarly taken off. They, too, land on the island and are befriended by the bear. All are asleep in the lighthouse when the little dog wakes and barks a warning to his companions: a big ship, lost in a storm, is on a collision course with the island's rocky cliffs. The boy and bear manage the lighthouse light to steer the ship to safety. The next day, the little boat deposits the characters onto their home beaches where they resume their activities; the ship is safe in its harbor; the rowboat is on the waves. McPhail's pen-and-ink drawings have a dark quality even when depicting sunshine and are a perfect match for Lamb's spare narrative and purposefully underdeveloped characters. The chapter-book format might attract children for an independent read, but the story is best suited for sharing; its last page is an invitation for children to invent the rowboat's next adventure and a question begs to be discussed: Is the story a dream or a life lesson?—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC