Book Cover
Justification
I chose Hello Lighthouse! by Sophie Blackall because it was named the Caldecott Medalist for 2019. The text is rich in vocabulary and transports the reader back in time to when lighthouses were an integral part of nautical life. I choose this book because it corresponds the Caldecott Medalist category required by this assignment. I also chose it because I have always loved lighthouses and imagined what it would be like to live in the midst of the sea. This book allows younger readers to live among the waves, even if it's only for the length of the story.
Evaluation The thing that struck me first in reading Hello Lighthouse! was Sophie Blackall’s characters. There is a call and response in her writing that turns the lighthouse into a character of the story. “Hello! …Hello! …Hello! Hello, Lighthouse! (Blackall, 2018, p. 3). The lighthouse is calling out, and the lighthouse keeper and his family return the call. No one in the story has a proper name. The lighthouse is just lighthouse, and the people are simply the keeper, the woman, and the child. This shows a balance of importance. That the lighthouse and the people are equally valued. Blackall’s characterization of the lighthouse also highlights their permanence. They are unchanging, a constant, even amid the tumultuous sea and cultural changes that threaten to leave them unoccupied as we see later in the book. The book also beautifully shows the relationship that is built between the lighthouse and its keepers. The lighthouse is a place of safety and refuge for the keeper and for the ships that it is striving to protect. At the end of the book, when the lighthouse keeper and his family are moved out of the lighthouse due to automation, the relationship persists and the lighthouse's call is returned anew.
Another striking feature of the book is the illustrations. In each spread, the lighthouse is a towering feature, rising almost to the top of the page that it occupies. The illustrations beautifully show the changing moods of the sea. On one spread the sea is calm and inviting, on another the sea is rough and the sky is black. It shows the power of the ocean and in turn, the strength of the lighthouse built to endure the conditions of the sea. The illustrations also capture the life of the lighthouse keeper. On page five of the book we see a detailed view of each floor of the lighthouse which gives us a glimpse of what it would be like to live in the lighthouse. On pages 25 and 26 we see that the lighthouse keeper’s wife is about to have a baby. The illustrations on this spread of pages are done in a circle to highlight the text which talks of her walking “around and around and around the room” (Blackall, 2018, p. 25). The illustrations of this book exemplify the power of pictures with words. They draw the reader further into the experience of the story.
Blackall’s use of figurative language brings the story to life. She uses language to heighten our senses and draw us in to the story, making us feel like we are there. “The wind takes a deep breath and blows and blows. Hello! …Hello! …Hello!” (Blackall, 2018, p. 8). The personification of the wind makes it as if we can almost feel the wind blowing ourselves. The illustrations of the swirling wind and choppy sea enhance our senses. Throughout the book Blackall’s word choices make us feel like we are there. “The sea turns into a carpet of ice” (Blackall, 2018, p. 20), “The sky erupts in swirls of green” (Blackall, 2018, p. 30). The word choices paint a magical picture in our minds, even without the illustrations, we are transported to the lighthouse and can imagine what it would be like to stand out and view the world from that perspective.
Response (A) I connected with Hello Lighthouse! in a personal way. I have always been fascinated by lighthouses and their symbolism. To me they represent a beacon of hope in the midst of trouble. They help to safely navigate ships from trouble and the symbol of the lighthouse has always seemed like a comforting thought to me. They also give us a historical reminder of what life was like in the recent past. This book shows us a glimpse of what it would be like to be a lightkeeper, or a part of a lightkeeper’s family. (E) Blackall’s writing is truly transportive. It allows us to imagine ourselves living life in a lighthouse. It shows what it would be like to be sick, having a baby, helping others, and just the ordinary rhythms of life in the lighthouse. She masterfully writes in a way that allows us to be a part of that experience. (G) I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to children, teachers, and librarians. The writing and illustrations provide a rich vocabulary and beautiful imagery. It is no wonder that Blackall has won the Caldecott for this book, it is captivating. I would be eager to read her other books and anxiously wait new titles from her.
Conclusion
Hello Lighthouse! feels like a must read. It is beautifully written and illustrated. Readers of this book are sure to be drawn in to the way of life in the lighthouse. The relationship that is developed between the lighthouse keeper, his family, and the lighthouse itself is moving and unique. I rate this book five out of five stars and would use it as a read aloud text to children as a means of highlighting use of figurative language.
APA Citation
Blackall, S. (2018). Hello lighthouse!. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
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