Picture Books: Hello Lighthouse

 

Hello Lighthouse

By Sophie blackall

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

Plot Summary

The last light keeper has arrived at the lighthouse and begins his duties as a light keeper. He knows that his job is very important so he diligently polishes the lens, refills the oil, trims the wick, and writes in his logbook. Soon after, his wife arrives at the lighthouse and they settle into their news lives. The sea changes with each passing day and with these changes come changes to the their lives as well. They rescue shipwrecked sailors, endure a sickness, deliver their child, and await news of the mainland. After many years, the keeper and his family receive a letter that says it is time to go leave the lighthouse and so they say goodbye.

Analysis

Sophie Blackall is the author and illustrator, and weaves a tale around her drawings in a way that draws readers in, encouraging them to catch every little detail that they can find. Blackall has illustrated this book to make readers feel as if they are inside the lighthouse with the keeper and his family. The words float around the page and reflect the environment of the story, ebbing and flowing with the changes in the sea. 

The illustrations were created using Chinese ink and watercolors. This technique makes the book feel warm and inviting, with its soft and muted, but still distinct colors. The lighthouse never changes, though the environment around it does, which alludes to the fact that the lighthouse will last forever even if the family must leave in the end. Occasionally, Blackall adds portraits of the characters in a situation that overlap the main illustration on the page. This emphasizes these parts of the story without taking away any impact from the illustrations.

Awards

Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal

Publishers Weekly - a best book of 2018

Caldecott Medal 2019

Connections

Sophie Blackall is also known for her book Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear, which was also a Caldecott Medal winner in 2016.