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The Lighthouse Family #3
The Eagle
Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant brings the peaceful sounds, sights, and characters of the coast vividly to life in the third book of the Lighthouse Family series, in which the family discovers the beauty of the forest.
In a lighthouse by the ocean, Seabold, a dog, and Pandora, a cat, live with their three little mice children, Whistler, Lila, and Tiny. One day, Lila and Whistler decide they want to investigate the mysterious forest that stands near their home. What adventures could be waiting between those trees? Brother and sister ask permission to go exploring and discover not only adventure and enchantment but also a new friend!
In a lighthouse by the ocean, Seabold, a dog, and Pandora, a cat, live with their three little mice children, Whistler, Lila, and Tiny. One day, Lila and Whistler decide they want to investigate the mysterious forest that stands near their home. What adventures could be waiting between those trees? Brother and sister ask permission to go exploring and discover not only adventure and enchantment but also a new friend!
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
8 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Rylant
486 books864 followersAn author of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for children and young adults as well as an author and author/illustrator of picture books for children, Cynthia Rylant is recognized as a gifted writer who has contributed memorably to several genres of juvenile literature. A prolific author who often bases her works on her own background, especially on her childhood in the West Virginia mountains, she is the creator of contemporary novels and historical fiction for young adults, middle-grade fiction and fantasy, lyrical prose poems, beginning readers, collections of short stories, volumes of poetry and verse, books of prayers and blessings, two autobiographies, and a biography of three well-known children's writers; several volumes of the author's fiction and picture books are published in series, including the popular "Henry and Mudge" easy readers about a small boy and his very large dog.
Rylant is perhaps most well known as a novelist. Characteristically, she portrays introspective, compassionate young people who live in rural settings or in small towns and who tend to be set apart from their peers.
from bookrags.com
Rylant is perhaps most well known as a novelist. Characteristically, she portrays introspective, compassionate young people who live in rural settings or in small towns and who tend to be set apart from their peers.
from bookrags.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 5, 2018
This is charming! A dog, a cat, and three little mice live together as family in a lighthouse. One day the mice ask their parents permission to go for a walk in the woods. Unfortunately they get lost but they meet an eagle who becomes their new friend and shows them the way home. This astounds me! All these animals are supposed to be enemies. Will a child even pick up the hidden message of living in peace with others or will it be just considered a cute story? Nevertheless it is a fine, little book for children.
December 22, 2023
This was my least favorite so far. This is the shortest book I think and its about an eagle helping the mice find their way home. It was fine.
August 6, 2025
We appreciated the mice children's ability to work with their guardians to learn the skills they would need for the adventure they were seeking! Much better than the typical "it's too dangerous to go" with children sneaking off. We also appreciated the Eagle's instinct to give the children some time to sort their predicament out on their own.
May 27, 2025
Fine, nothing special! The last of this series that we own. My almost 6 year old likes them.
October 31, 2024
Rating by 7 year old
September 13, 2009
I liked that the adults let the children puzzle out their own problems. SPOILER ALERT: The whole time the mouse children were alone with the eagle, the section of Avi's book, Poppy, in which a raptor swoops down and devours a mouse is quite vividly described kept running through my mind. This story has a much kinder ending. Love the line: "Seabold (the *dad*) understood mistakes."
January 26, 2021
Really enjoyed this third book of the Lighthouse Family series. Especially enjoyed the respectful way the children asked to do what had previously been forbidden, rather than disobeying in their eagerness, and their willingness to learn what was necessary to do so. Enchanted by this little early chapter book series.
August 28, 2020
This is a book whose title doesn't really reveal much while it is the cover that shows a bit more promise. Since there are two little mice on it in clothes and a rather seemingly condescending eagle, which again like the cover doesn't say much.
Furthermore there is nothing on the cover or cover page that really says this book is part of a series although the other titles page suggests it. Due to I haven't read the other two books in the series I cannot say how well this book stands alone from the previous titles but it did seem like the starting portion of this book was trying to introduce as well as the give unknown readers an update so they at least understand how this strange family came together.
The Eagle is a portal book for slightly older children who are ready to start exploring the world of chapter books. As such even though there are six chapters they are rather short and each is started off with a two-page spread illustration. There are also plenty of pages tucked between the chapter pages that were full illustrations to offset the pages of words.
The tone for the writing was to me actually quite dull and stilted, especially at the beginning. Easy words again will help growing readers to be able to read this book on this own with a few spots of interest such as binnacle, which will need to be looked up for them to understand what it means.
For me the characters were actually flat and I don't know if this is since they may have been better developed one or two books ago but it assured that I couldn't actually relate with any. I did love the name for the dog - Old Seabold. Was the author trying to encourage older readers to pick-up the fact of the slang the old salty dog for this particular past sea dog?
Meanwhile the illustrations were midway for me. They seemed to be given in a red sepia tone but that didn't take away from there. Where the illustration was based on natural background they definitely hit on the mark and were beautiful to me but when it came to the characters I was a bit disappointed so they were hit or miss. And how is that one can make a cat look so jowly even for an older creature.
What I did love about the book was the characters making up the family were so uniquely different from each other thus suggesting a rather mixed family such as one would see when it came to foster or adoptive homes. And I did love the inclusion of the fairy ring that the children were so lucky to have found in the woods.
But what I really did not enjoy were the weird messages that the book gave off. The first one was more or less about the mushrooms as Lila mentioned they could be taken home and made into food. i am not sure how many younger children are introduced by their adult caregivers into mushrooms and the possibility that they may be toxic so unless they can be properly identified picking strange mushrooms out in the middle of the forest would not be a highly recommended activity.
And finally the other off message for was the fact of the children getting lost and actually meeting the eagle. I am not sure whether a strange creature sitting there watching you without your knowledge and not helping you when you are lost is more bothersome or the fact that said stranger also chose not to help you so you could be given a chance to learn to help yourself while possibly also learning how to trust your instincts in a place where you have never been before. Plus the fact the eagle picked up said kids without their permission or their caregivers to carry them to the top of the tallest tree in the woods just is a bit on alarming side. Maybe I am blowing everything way out of proportion and he was really a chivalrous eagle so I am just seeing the bad in it.
When it comes down to it the book does seem a bit charming besides its dark points and more than likely would have been something I read when I was younger. But at this age the book doesn't do anything besides raise my hackles.
Furthermore there is nothing on the cover or cover page that really says this book is part of a series although the other titles page suggests it. Due to I haven't read the other two books in the series I cannot say how well this book stands alone from the previous titles but it did seem like the starting portion of this book was trying to introduce as well as the give unknown readers an update so they at least understand how this strange family came together.
The Eagle is a portal book for slightly older children who are ready to start exploring the world of chapter books. As such even though there are six chapters they are rather short and each is started off with a two-page spread illustration. There are also plenty of pages tucked between the chapter pages that were full illustrations to offset the pages of words.
The tone for the writing was to me actually quite dull and stilted, especially at the beginning. Easy words again will help growing readers to be able to read this book on this own with a few spots of interest such as binnacle, which will need to be looked up for them to understand what it means.
For me the characters were actually flat and I don't know if this is since they may have been better developed one or two books ago but it assured that I couldn't actually relate with any. I did love the name for the dog - Old Seabold. Was the author trying to encourage older readers to pick-up the fact of the slang the old salty dog for this particular past sea dog?
Meanwhile the illustrations were midway for me. They seemed to be given in a red sepia tone but that didn't take away from there. Where the illustration was based on natural background they definitely hit on the mark and were beautiful to me but when it came to the characters I was a bit disappointed so they were hit or miss. And how is that one can make a cat look so jowly even for an older creature.
What I did love about the book was the characters making up the family were so uniquely different from each other thus suggesting a rather mixed family such as one would see when it came to foster or adoptive homes. And I did love the inclusion of the fairy ring that the children were so lucky to have found in the woods.
But what I really did not enjoy were the weird messages that the book gave off. The first one was more or less about the mushrooms as Lila mentioned they could be taken home and made into food. i am not sure how many younger children are introduced by their adult caregivers into mushrooms and the possibility that they may be toxic so unless they can be properly identified picking strange mushrooms out in the middle of the forest would not be a highly recommended activity.
And finally the other off message for was the fact of the children getting lost and actually meeting the eagle. I am not sure whether a strange creature sitting there watching you without your knowledge and not helping you when you are lost is more bothersome or the fact that said stranger also chose not to help you so you could be given a chance to learn to help yourself while possibly also learning how to trust your instincts in a place where you have never been before. Plus the fact the eagle picked up said kids without their permission or their caregivers to carry them to the top of the tallest tree in the woods just is a bit on alarming side. Maybe I am blowing everything way out of proportion and he was really a chivalrous eagle so I am just seeing the bad in it.
When it comes down to it the book does seem a bit charming besides its dark points and more than likely would have been something I read when I was younger. But at this age the book doesn't do anything besides raise my hackles.
October 25, 2017
Another gentle adventure for Lila and her brother Whistler. They've always wanted to go to the woods. Pandora and Seabold are too busy to take them, so they learn to use a compass so they won't get lost.
They've also always wanted to make friends with a beautiful Eagle they often see flying around. Fortunately for them, he has his eye on our little friends too--and not in the way predatory birds usually see mice! I'm glad that in Rylant's world, all strangers are good, kind and decent.
I wish Rylant would write a little adventure for Tiny. Okay, she's probably too small to get up to much but you'd be surprised what the little ones think. Again I would suggest investing in the hardback edition; I have the paperback and the drawings are almost too faint to see.
They've also always wanted to make friends with a beautiful Eagle they often see flying around. Fortunately for them, he has his eye on our little friends too--and not in the way predatory birds usually see mice! I'm glad that in Rylant's world, all strangers are good, kind and decent.
I wish Rylant would write a little adventure for Tiny. Okay, she's probably too small to get up to much but you'd be surprised what the little ones think. Again I would suggest investing in the hardback edition; I have the paperback and the drawings are almost too faint to see.
September 5, 2023
Little mice Whistler and Lila go exploring in the woods with Seabold's compass. When Whistler loses the compass his instincts help the mice find their way out of the woods to the shore, but which way is home? A compassionate eagle gives them a ride back home to the lighthouse.
I've decided the reason I love these books so much is that they remind me of what I love most about Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher: unrelated characters come together in relationships that affirm, encourage, and nurture. And the pastel illustrations are quite endearing.
I've decided the reason I love these books so much is that they remind me of what I love most about Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher: unrelated characters come together in relationships that affirm, encourage, and nurture. And the pastel illustrations are quite endearing.
June 6, 2019
As we read through this series, the urge to book a trip to visit a rural lighthouse grows stronger. I love the personalities of the characters of the lighthouse family. So endearing. I will say, however, that I am relieved with every book that my 5-year-olds don’t know much about the food chain at this point in their young lives, especially as the young mice children encounter a hige eagle while alone in the woods.
September 19, 2020
Cute little tale
This is such a cute story for kids. The plot and the setting are simple and easy to follow even for children that are reading by themselves without the help of a parent.
This is such a cute story for kids. The plot and the setting are simple and easy to follow even for children that are reading by themselves without the help of a parent.
December 5, 2023
This short lil' gem of a chapter book was read in a single sitting to my rapt daughters. It really caught their imagination and has been influencing their play all day! The writing is rich, and it is sweet without being saccharine.
March 26, 2019
Very fun series for early readers.
July 18, 2020
Wonderful read-aloud book for children just getting into chapter books.
September 14, 2020
My least favorite of the series thus far. Even H seems indifferent.
April 10, 2021
Love the premise and the characters but it was just too short with no depth and build up of drama.
May 28, 2022
I really enjoyed the first two in the series, but I didn't care for this one as much. I wonder if we would like them more if we read them closer together.
September 7, 2022
Very short!
September 29, 2022
Sweet, old-fashioned story with animals as the characters. 3.5 stars.
March 14, 2024
Sweet animal adventure story, third in the series.
April 14, 2024
Cute, but I found this one far less charming than the first in the series.
August 29, 2025
These short chapters books are very sweet and teach good values without being heavy-handed.
May 22, 2011
I just adore this series. It is amazing to me that in an "early chapter" book the author has created books with real, suspenseful, but not frightening plots. The main characters, two little mice long for adventure, something I think will appeal to preschoolers and early grade school-aged readers. Lovely characters, gorgeous illustrations. This is the third in the series. Can't wait to read the next one with our youngest.
December 16, 2014
gr 2-4 58 pgs
Fantasy, mice. Mice siblings Lila and Whistler are eager to have their very own adventure in the woods near their lighthouse home. Pandora the Cat and Seabold the dog, with whom they live, gives them a compass and makes them promise to be home in time for lunch. When the compass is lost and the mice wander off the path, Lila and Whistler must find some way of finding their way back home.
Cute story! Part of a series "Lighthouse Family"
Fantasy, mice. Mice siblings Lila and Whistler are eager to have their very own adventure in the woods near their lighthouse home. Pandora the Cat and Seabold the dog, with whom they live, gives them a compass and makes them promise to be home in time for lunch. When the compass is lost and the mice wander off the path, Lila and Whistler must find some way of finding their way back home.
Cute story! Part of a series "Lighthouse Family"
November 23, 2009
Stanley the Eagle helps the Lighthouse Family children, Whistler and Lila (they are mice,) in this story. Who ever thought that an Eagle can take care of mice without eating them?! And to let you know I studied Eagles in First Grade and they can eat a small sheep or a smaller animal if they want to!
February 11, 2010
My four-year-old-daughter is really enjoying these short chapter books. Mouse children Whistler and Lila are intrepid but responsible. In this one they use a compass to explore the forest. When they lose the compass they are assisted by a magnificent eagle they have admired from afar, but only after he has waited and allowed them to try to help themselves.
October 6, 2024
Loved the wholesome “allowance” of adventure. And the teaching how to not get lost rather than simply saying no because you might get lost. These books! I knew I loved them but really—they’re the best!
April 3, 2009
Another sweet (but not saccharine) story - good read-aloud for kids who are moving from picture books to chapter books. "Listen to your instincts" and be willing to take risks (and extend appropriate risks to your children).
November 10, 2015
This is such a lovely, gentle world. An eagle watches over some young mice as they learn to navigate the forest. And he doesn't eat them, but instead joins them for snacks at the home they share with their adoptive parents, a cat and a dog. LOVE this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews