The Light Keeper

by Karen Levine, Sheila Baslaw, Alice Priestley (illustrator)

Shmuel is eager to help support his poor family, but no one in town is interested in hiring a ten-year-old boy. One day, the village installs new electric lamps, bringing light to their square and dazzling away the dark. Until a lamp breaks during a storm—and Shmuel is the only one who can fix it. Will Shmuel be able to conquer his fear of heights and bring light back to his town?


A gentle tale of bravery, empowerment and community, and the thrill of transformation.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

Karen Levine is a prizewinning producer with CBC Radio. She worked for many years on CBC programs including As It Happens, The Sunday Edition and This Morning as producer of the “First Person Singular” series. Karen has won awards for her radio work, including two Peabody Awards(the Oscars of radio). Levine originally produced Hana’s Suitcase as a radio documentary and later made it into a book. Though she travels widely (most recently to Australia and Japan) to talk about the book, she makes her home in Toronto with her partner and her son.

Reviews

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

10/14/2024 3.5 stars. Full review tk, probably tomorrow, at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

1015/2024 Times are hard in young Shmuel Saslovsky's shtetl. Papa has just lost his job, and tho everyone in their family of eight pitches in to make ends meet, it's a struggle to get by. While Shmuel's five older sisters earn a few kopeks taking in mending or helping out around town, no one wants to hire a ten year-old.

To help make up for that, Shmeul volunteers to do as many household chores as he can. He has a secret tho. He's deathly afraid of heights, and will happily do anything except help repair the roof.

One day, he and the other villagers are startled by the appearance of strangers approaching on a wagon. Boldly, Shmuel asks the pair why they're here. Beryl, the younger and friendlier man, announces that they've arrived to install electric lights in the square, which is currently lit dimly by only two small kerosene lamps.

This is exciting news for the shtetl, but especially for a ten year-old boy. Over the course of the next eight days, he watches Beryl and his partner closely as they set up the poles and wires. While the older man is pretty grumpy about it, Beryl is happy to explain everything that they're doing to the wide-eyed kid. And when it's time for them to head on over to the next town to install lights there, Beryl tells Shmuel that he told the mayor to go get Shmuel if the lights ever need fixing, as he has faith that the kid will know what to do.

When one of the lights goes out, as promised, the mayor comes asking Shmuel for help, promising payment in return. Shmuel absolutely knows what to do, and desperately wants to help both the village and his family. But doing so means climbing to the very top of those light posts. Will he be able to face down his fear of heights for the sake of everyone he knows?

This is a lovely picture book based on the childhood of co-writer Sheila Baslaw's own father Shmuel, who grew up in a shtetl in Russia. Her dad didn't much like talking about his childhood but would share this story with her. Now in her nineties, she wrote this book to honor her dad and his life, with the help of author and prizewinning radio producer Karen Levine.

Alice Priestley's gentle but expressive art captures both the hardships and joys of shtetl life in 1900s Russia. Her watercolors and inks perfectly illustrate the highs and lows of Shmuel's life as a ten year-old who badly wants to help his family but will have to conquer his own fears to do so.

I did have questions about certain aspects of the ending to do with their neighbors, tho I 100% applauded Shmuel's gumption throughout. I have a fairly good imagination but have been trying to think of either of my own ten year-olds successfully navigating that situation, and have been failing miserably (tho my youngest does like changing all the lightbulbs in our house, sometimes in less than perfectly safe circumstances, despite our chagrined guidance.) The Light Keeper is delightful historical reading for any kid who wants to read about facing your fears and helping the people you love, and an excellent look into the time and place.

The Light Keeper by Karen Levine, Sheila Baslaw & Alice Priestley was published October 1 2024 by Second Story Press and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Baslaw tells this sweetest story with Karen Levine, a beautiful tale from before World War II when her father was a young boy. He, with his parents and five sisters, lived in Russia in a small Jewish village called a shtetl. Shmuel (not his real name) was one of the youngest in the family. His job was to get water from the town square each morning. One day, when he went, a wagon rolled in with two men and a wagon full of supplies! It was time to bring electric street lights to the town!
Though Shmuel kept being shooed away by the older and gruff worker, the other younger worker was patient and answered all his questions, helping him learn how it all worked! There was a big celebration when those lights were finally turned on, and the square became a place for evening fun now that it was lit. The mayor came to this young, ten-year-old and told him that the worker has said Shmuel would be able to do repairs if the lights ever needed them or a bulb went out. If it happened, he would be paid!
Shmuel's family was very poor and often had little to eat. Each one got some small jobs, yet still, it seemed never enough. One night, in a storm, wires were loosened, and a bulb was broken. This young, brave boy went to the mill to turn off the generator, then climbed that pole and fixed it! The rest of the story is about saving the family, for the townspeople were so grateful and shared what goods they could with the family, adding a note that said, "for our brave new light keeper".
Sheila writes that her family had not known this story for a long time from her father's childhood and wanted to capture it for him and to honor his bravery. The illustrations by Alice Priestley feel just right for the historical feel of the story, in brown, muted tones with touches of color, a picturesque village showing the people's dress, and a community having fun despite hardships.
Thanks to Second Story Press for my e-copy!

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This charming tale, tells the tale of a young boy who faces his fears to help out his family. In the early 1900's the Jews in Eastern Europe lived in secluded villages or shtetels. Shmuel's family was facing hard times, and all of his sisters found jobs to bring in a few kopecks, but still there was not enough food to eat. Since no one would hire a young boy, he helped by taking over many of the chores. When workmen came to install electric lights on tall poles in the town square it invigorated the community. Shmuel was captivated by the process and watched the workmen. Because he had learned so much, it was up to him to fix the lights when they broke down, but first he had to get over his fear of heights.
This true story was written by the boy's daughter, Sheila Baslaw, along with the help of children's author and producer Karen Levine. They have captured a sweet story of a young boy who lets his own light shine to help out his family and the community. The illustrations by Alice Priestly capture the mood beautifully.

[Orsayor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Light Keeper is a sweet and inspiring story about a young boy named Shmuel who lives in a small village. Shmuel wants to help his poor family, but finding work is tough for someone his age. When a new electric lamp in the village square gets damaged during a storm, Shmuel is the only one who can fix it. Even though he’s scared of heights, he bravely climbs up to repair the lamp and brings light back to the town.

This simple story highlights the strength of community and the excitement that comes with change. It’s also a wonderful reminder that we are capable of more than we realize, and that life can surprise us with sudden changes. Reading this book at this time was a great reminder for me that we should never give up, no matter how hard things may seem. The Light Keeper is a book that encourages everyone to keep pushing forward, no matter what challenges they face.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone in Shmuel’s family is working to help the family survive. However, as desperate as Shmuel is to help, no one wants to hire a ten-year-old. When men come to install electric lights in his village, he fills his time watching their every move. After a huge storm blows out a bulb, he is the only one who knows how to fix it. If he can conquer his fear of heights, he can be a hero and also supply his family with the funds they need. This is a beautiful story of resilience and self-confidence.

[MD Knabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book was an inspiring glimpse into the past. Shmeul's family struggles to survive and feed every member. Being only ten, he isn't able to get work that pays well although he pays close attention to the installation of new electric lights in his village. His interest leads to an amazing opportunity help all the residents. Readers will root for Shmeul when he faces his fears to save the day.

[Natalie Phister · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this story through Publishers Weekly's grab a galley event. What a sweet story! The art style is lovely, and the narrative, while simple, is a powerful one about facing your fears and helping your family. I enjoyed it.

[Marcie Saldivar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet elementary book that shows kids can do big things.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy overcomes his fear of heights to earn a little money for his family.

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of a Jewish boy helping his community by learning necessary skills required to maintain electric light in their community; all by being curious and helpful.