What do you think?
Rate this book
The Lighthouse Family #2
The Whale
Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant brings the peaceful sounds, sights, and characters of the coast vividly to life in the second book of the Lighthouse Family series, in which the family helps reunite a baby beluga whale with its mother.
Pandora, Seabold, Whistler, Lila, and Tiny have all been enjoying the love and comfort that being a family brings. It is a comfort they are unexpectedly reminded of when Whistler and Lila hear the cries of a lonely baby beluga whale named Sebastian. When they learn that he has lost his mama, the Lighthouse Family, with the help of a cranky but noble old cormorant named Huck, does all it can to bring Sebastian and his mother together again.
Pandora, Seabold, Whistler, Lila, and Tiny have all been enjoying the love and comfort that being a family brings. It is a comfort they are unexpectedly reminded of when Whistler and Lila hear the cries of a lonely baby beluga whale named Sebastian. When they learn that he has lost his mama, the Lighthouse Family, with the help of a cranky but noble old cormorant named Huck, does all it can to bring Sebastian and his mother together again.
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Cynthia Rylant
380 books869 followersCynthia Rylant is an American author, poet, and librarian whose deeply felt books for children and young adults have made her one of the most beloved voices in contemporary literature. Writing across picture books, novels, short stories, nonfiction, and poetry, she has published more than one hundred works, many of them rooted in memory, family, solitude, and the emotional landscapes of ordinary life. Her fiction often draws from her upbringing in West Virginia and reflects the textures of Appalachian life with unusual tenderness and clarity.
Raised in modest circumstances, Rylant spent much of her childhood with her grandparents in a rural setting that later became central to her imagination as a writer. Those early years, marked by hardship as well as warmth, shaped the emotional honesty and quiet resilience that define her work. She later studied English and library science, and after working as a waitress, librarian, and teacher, she began publishing books inspired by the world she had known so intimately.
Among her most acclaimed works are Missing May, which received the Newbery Medal, and A Fine White Dust, a Newbery Honor Book. She also earned Caldecott Honors for When I Was Young in the Mountains and The Relatives Came. For younger readers, she became especially well known through the enduring Henry and Mudge series, as well as other popular books and series that combine gentleness, humor, and emotional depth.
Rylant's writing is distinguished by its compassion for lonely, searching, or overlooked characters, and by its reverence for animals, nature, and small human connections. Whether writing about grief, wonder, childhood, or belonging, she brings a lyrical simplicity that resonates across generations. Her books continue to offer comfort, recognition, and beauty to readers of all ages. She remains a singular literary presence in children's literature and beyond today.
Raised in modest circumstances, Rylant spent much of her childhood with her grandparents in a rural setting that later became central to her imagination as a writer. Those early years, marked by hardship as well as warmth, shaped the emotional honesty and quiet resilience that define her work. She later studied English and library science, and after working as a waitress, librarian, and teacher, she began publishing books inspired by the world she had known so intimately.
Among her most acclaimed works are Missing May, which received the Newbery Medal, and A Fine White Dust, a Newbery Honor Book. She also earned Caldecott Honors for When I Was Young in the Mountains and The Relatives Came. For younger readers, she became especially well known through the enduring Henry and Mudge series, as well as other popular books and series that combine gentleness, humor, and emotional depth.
Rylant's writing is distinguished by its compassion for lonely, searching, or overlooked characters, and by its reverence for animals, nature, and small human connections. Whether writing about grief, wonder, childhood, or belonging, she brings a lyrical simplicity that resonates across generations. Her books continue to offer comfort, recognition, and beauty to readers of all ages. She remains a singular literary presence in children's literature and beyond today.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
January 30, 2026
A too cozy and too gentle adventure as a couple of mice -- orphans adopted by a dog and a cat and all living in a lighthouse -- help a lost baby beluga whale find its mother.
At least it is short, so it didn't have time to really bore me.
At least it is short, so it didn't have time to really bore me.
October 5, 2021
3.5 stars: not a lot of depth or surprise in this one but still a sweet story.
March 16, 2020
WHOLESOME!!!
June 4, 2019
Two books in and the kids really enjoy this series. We will definitely continue on. Kind of fun how much coastal vocabulary my landlocked children are learning in these books - pod, lagoon, cormorant, etc.
October 27, 2023
This was a sweet middle grade about the Lighthouse family (A found family of a cat, dog and 3 mice). They find a baby whale who has been separated from his mama and they work together with a bird friend named Huck to find it's mama. So sweet.
March 13, 2019
hello baby it is me honey
August 6, 2025
We are really enjoying this sweet series!
May 5, 2018
I did not like this book because I did not like the part when the baby whale lost its mother. I liked this book because I liked the part when Huck, Whistle, and Lisa found the baby's whale's mother.
September 30, 2017
A beautiful, charming little tale of how Whistler and Lila set off to look for an adventure on an ordinary day, and find a lost Beluga whale calf who's been separated from his pod. As orphans themselves, they know how important finding your mother is! With a little help from their friends, they go out to search for Mama Honey.
Artwork and story combine to create an enchanting world of family warmth and gentle adventure. I can't recommend this series highly enough. I love Seabold, the brave mariner dog with human hands. I am enchanted by the mouse-children's sock bed near the fire. And the idea of feeding a baby beluga vegetable stew to keep him happy is endearing.
Read it with someone you love, even if that someone is just you. But read it.
Artwork and story combine to create an enchanting world of family warmth and gentle adventure. I can't recommend this series highly enough. I love Seabold, the brave mariner dog with human hands. I am enchanted by the mouse-children's sock bed near the fire. And the idea of feeding a baby beluga vegetable stew to keep him happy is endearing.
Read it with someone you love, even if that someone is just you. But read it.
January 17, 2022
I'm really enjoying this sweet series. I read it aloud to three of my sons (7, 3, and 2) on a chilly winter day outside huddled under a blanket. Books like these help increase the reading stamina of my youngest boys, and I appreciate that!
September 5, 2023
Whistler and Lila, two little mice who live in the lighthouse on the cliff with Pandora the cat, Seabold the dog, and their sister Tiny, find a baby beluga who has become lost from his parents. With the help of a curmudgeonly but kind-hearted cormorant the baby whale is reunited with his pod. This series is one of the sweetest series of books I've ever read.
Read
April 1, 2022From the pictures to the text to the plot, these books couldn't be more winsome or appealing. Two young mice go on an adventure to help reunite a baby beluga with his missing mom, supporting by their found family and a grumpy but golden-hearted friend.
July 10, 2022
This is the second book in this series that my now 6 year old and I have enjoyed together as a read aloud so far this summer. It was pure delight. It’s easy to read aloud, had varying characters, and my daughter laughed in all the right places. We hope to read the whole series together.
December 31, 2022
A cute story about a whale who loses his mother. The animals in the Lighthouse decide to help him by splitting up. Half go with the bord to find the mother and the other half stay with the baby whale and distract him with stories.
Read
March 11, 2025It won't rate this book because obviously it's for children. However it was super cute I'm going to buy it for my nephew. I read it to see if it would be something that he would enjoy. The characters are cute It's a fun story about new friends a little adventure and community
July 4, 2018
I like that they live in a lighthouse.
July 17, 2018
Heart-warming and adventurous story of friendship. A great sequel to The Storm.
March 6, 2019
My six year old and I love this little series!
June 26, 2019
6/26/19 Read with Julia.
February 19, 2020
A lovely family with three mice children, a dog, and a cat has a very happy attitude! A heartwarming story makes you want to have tea by the fireplace!
March 15, 2020
It was okay. It was kind of like a little bit funny and one part was sad because one little whale lost his mom. But then it found a friend. And then it found its mom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2020
The sweet and heart-warming take of an animal family that helps a lost baby beluga whale find his mother. This is a great read-aloud book for preschool or early elementary students.
August 24, 2020
I continue to be less than enthusiastic about this series. But they're gentle and sweet and unobjectionable and H enjoys them.
September 19, 2020
Nice
Another short lovely tale that teaches children the importance of helping others.
The plot is fun and it's easy for kids to follow the story.
Another short lovely tale that teaches children the importance of helping others.
The plot is fun and it's easy for kids to follow the story.
September 30, 2020
Wholesome little books/stories.
June 7, 2021
Another delightful story from Cynthia Rylant.
My daughter and I both really enjoyed this.
My daughter and I both really enjoyed this.
July 6, 2021
Such a delightful series! We too are always on the lookout for adventure.
July 21, 2022
Super sweet. We are loving this series
March 29, 2023
Chapter book truly geared towards little ones!
April 22, 2023
Just as cute and cozy as the first one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews