KATE'S LIGHT: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse

 Who doesn't love a lighthouse? 

Certainly no one I have ever met. I've also never met a lighthouse-themed book that didn't win my heart, especially if it is a picture book. Going a long way back to the evergreen  KEEP THE LIGHTS BURNING ABBIE, by the incomparable writing Wisconsinites, Peter and Connie Roop, a commitment to do lifesaving, sometimes life-threatening work is a reading hook that refuses to be ignored. The Caldecott winning HELLO, LIGHTHOUSE, by Sophie Blackall, uses  a family-centric point of view in an oversized/tall format to reveal the inner workings and daily practices of lighthouse operations with elegance and insight. If either of these books is new to you, add them to your must-read lists.

Margaret Ferguson Books
Holiday House Publishing, Inc., 2020

Now another beloved and Caldecott-winning illustrator, Emily Arnold McCulley, has created the latest lighthouse picture book, KATE'S LIGHT: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse. Those famiiar with New York City will recognize immediately that Robbins Reef Lighthouse is in the bay that shelters the Statue of Liberty, within rowing distance from Staten Island. Those less familiar with that territory benefit from the excellent historic map featured on endpapers, a map clearly labeling geographic sites that are so often referenced in various narratives, and also anchoring (forgive the pun) the story in time. The waters are practically littered with enormous steamboats, tall masted ships, and water vehicles of every kind and size you can imagine. 

Author Elizabeth Spires has written other texts for children, all of which reflect her core identity as a poet of extraordinary grace. This biography in prose sustains a lyrical quality. It manages to engage readers despite launching Kate's story as a 34 year old widow with a son, immigrating from Germany to find a better life for herself and her child.

It's not easy to "hook" young readers on an adult biography with nary a word about their childhood life, and yet there is that irresistible lighthouse, entering Kate's life in the opening pages.  

Kate was not an early supporter of her new husband's choice to live on a rock: no garden, no neighbors, away from the happy and settled life she had been building with him and her son on land. In fact, she kept her belongings packed in the lighthouse for six months before she fully absorbed the lure of her new life. Spires's  storytelling is powerful, informative, and admiring (with good reason). Kate's developing role as assistant lighthouse keeper, then full lighthouse tender, was not welcomed by the Lighthouse Board, but her competence and reliability won their grudging approval and eventual full endorsement. 

Despite the appeal of the writing and the details of Kate's barrier-breaking accomplishments, including numerous rescues at sea, I began this post with a nod to the art. Those familiar with McCulley's work will recognize and appreciate her style. With settings that feature water and sky, in all kinds of weather, McCulley is at her best. The scenes range from idyllic to horrific, with colors and expressions revealing that Kate's decision to remain, in fact insist, on assuming Lighthouse Keeper duties was driven by her heartfelt conversion to such a life. She lived out her long and dedicated responsibilities in tribute to her young husband's parting words to her as he was rowed back to the mainland: "Mind the light, Kate." When medical treatment of the time failed to save his life, his words sustained her until (and after) her retirement several decades later.

In that earlier book about another female light keeper, Abbie, her father's parting words to "Keep the lights burning, Abbie," had a happier conclusion, with his return after a desperately long storm delay. Even so, she, too, felt that commitment to continue on as Lighthouse Keeper. 

Both women, and those two Caldecott-winning women illustrators among a much longer list of male medalists, remind us that following our own lights, finding our path through life, even when discouraged or directly hindered, is worth the effort. Stories like these underscore the importance of WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, but also reveal why the accomplishments of  women (and girls), in history (and present day), should be celebrated all year long.

Ta-Da! November is the Second Annual PICTURE BOOK MONTH!

To celebrate ALA sponsored Picture Book Month, I'll reserve two short reviews for the end of this post and devote the bulk of my comments to sharing/linking to other posts featuring the celebration of PICTURE BOOKS! 

(Let's all hum along to the Oliver tune: FOOD, Glorious FOOD! Substitute the words PICTURE BOOKS, Glorious PICTURE BOOKS!  It's a stretch, but you can do it! All together now, 1...2...3... HUM!)

For starters, try this post with comments from leading picture book creators about WHY picture books are so important (and always will be). Who better to comment than Rosemary Wells, Tomi DePaola, and other award-winning stars of the kid-lit world?

Then there's Mr. Schu's remarkable homage to Picture Book Month on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  You won't want to miss this one: video book trailers, outstanding titles, and the announcement of his Mock Caldecott list for 2013 picture books.
. 
An impressive variety of outstanding titles is featured in the @YourLibrary blog, too. A quick glance at the book covers and brief reviews offers a sampling of the wide-ranging topics, targets, and tones within the world of picture books.

Wrap up your tour with BookLovingGrandma'sBlog post. She reminds us that picture books from the past are worth celebrating, too. In fact, the timeless quality of picture books is one of their most amazing qualities. For example:

Chronicle Books, 2002

RUBY'S WISH, written by Shirin Yim Bridges and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, offers a glimpse into the life of an exuberant young girl growing up in China. This takes place at a time when boys were favored with education, privilege, and the best of everything, while girls were educated in domestic skills and expected to marry and tend to a family. Ruby's wise grandfather heard the truth in her poem, listened to her wishes, and helped them to come true. Based on a the real life of the author's grandmother, Ruby, whose grandfather supported her with finances and his love to attend university and shape a life for herself outside the expectations and conventions of her time.

Capstone: Picture Window Books, 2014

With a story created by Patti Kim and pictures by Sonia Sanchez, HERE I AM is a 2014 release set in modern day New York City. When a young Korean boy's family relocates there he finds himself overwhelmed and confused, unable to read his new environment, literally and socially. Self-imposed isolation is his solution. When his special seed, his familiar source of comfort, drops out a window he braves the unknown and gradually discovers a welcoming array of people, places, aromas and activities in his new city. This is a wordless book blending picture book illustration patterns with graphic panels to reveal a story that is both specific and universal. The author note indicates it, too, is based on a true story, the author's own. 

In both cases there are fascinating visual details, emotions, and cultural references. The story lines are location referenced and anchored in specific times, separated by an ocean and more than a century. Yet both address the question of a young person feeling alienated from his or her home life and society's expectations. 

The power of picture books lies in this remarkable versatility and universality. What are you doing to celebrate and share picture books this month? (Or ANY month!)

Popped back in to add a post from the incredible Debbie Ohi on this topic just posted on her InkyGirl blog.