The Lighthouse Children

by Syd Hoff

Sam and Rose live in a lighthouse by the sea. Every day, they feed the hundreds of seagulls that come to visit them––treating the gulls like their own children. But one day a storm destroys the lighthouse, and Sam and Rose must move away. Will their lighthouse children be able to find them? Just right for the beginning reader, this is a Level 1 I Can Read Book that readers will want to return to again and again.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Whether you’re seven or seventy, the chances are you’ve probably come in contact with one of his many books (150 plus), or cartoons that have appeared in over 200 magazines in the course of his lifetime, including Laugh it Off which was syndicated for 20 years. His comic strip Tuffy, about a little girl who did funny things, was declared essential for national morale during WWII by William Randolph Hearst.

Syd has worked in diverse genres. He had the distinct honor of working with Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen as a contributor of short fiction writing. He was awarded national advertising commissions for large companies such as Chevrolet, Maxwell House Coffee and others. He had his own TV show (Tales of Hoff on CBS), traveled the world as entertainment on cruise ships and entertained children and teachers in schools and libraries across the country.

Reviews

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rather odd story about a childless couple who adopt a bunch of sea gulls that visit their lighthouse. When they move away, they set up a spotlight to let the sea gulls find their way to their new home. Simple narrative and colorful pages, but still a rather strange tale.

[Darren Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a lovely story about an older, childless couple that have "adopted" the seagulls that visit their lighthouse.

This story speaks of change and loss and learning how to carry on, even when it can be difficult to do so. Parents can use this story to teach their children about these things in a way they will understand.

It is fun and fantastic, and ends on a happy note. Children and parents should be able to enjoy reading it again and again.

Highly recommended.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every family is a bit different and the children of this couple is no exception. The couple lives by the sea and has named their 100 seagull "children". This is a early reader book has both rhyming and offers an interesting story for young readers.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

A childless older couple thinks of the seagulls as their children. They run a lighthouse, but it gets wrecked in a storm. They make a new home in the suburbs, but they miss their seagull children. What can they do?

Works as an early reader.

[Danette · Rating 2 out of 5]

7/10/18 Read with Julia & Simon

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this Syd Hoff book. The illustrations were wonderful as are his other books that he wrote and illustrated.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This storybook a couple who lives near and runs the lighthouse has no children. But they have adopted the seagulls as their children. They have named them and they care for them and have grown to love them. A bad storm comes and the couple can no longer live at the lighthouse so they have to move into town. Although they make friends with their neighbors they are lonely for their children and so they shine a bright light and their children see it and find them again!

[Katie Lorsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The seagulls can't stay for too long but they stay for awhile. My little brother stayed for some of it but not all of it because he had to go to music class. I liked that they had seagulls and they were their children and that there are 100 of them. And I read it. -Tommy

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

We usually like books by this author.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read for advanced Kindergarten readers. My daughter asked me to give this book 5 stars!

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun children's read-along.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the fact that the children weren't of the human variety.