Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter

by Elaine Wentworth, Elaine Wentworth (Illustrator)

In this reprint of a popular children's book, a young girl named Miranda learns about life on a remote island in Maine. When her father, the lighthhouse keeper, is kept away from the island by a storm, Miranda takes the responsibility to keep the light shining through the storm. Based on actual circumstances, the story is beautifully illustrated with watercolor paintings.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Historical Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well told story.

Ages: 5 - 10

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[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

While her father is away, 10-year-old Miranda must take up his role as lighthouse keeper. The young girl will have to overcome inclement weather conditions, hunger and illness to keep the light burning brightly until her father returns. She bravely rescues the family's chickens before the chicken coop is washed away. As days stretch into weeks, supplies run so low that the only food Miranda and her mother have are the eggs provided by the hens each day and a small amount of cornmeal mush. Despite their dire situation, Miranda never complains. She simply does what needs to be done to keep the light in operation.

Her father finally returns with much-needed food and a special surprise for Miranda: soil for a garden. The waves scour the rocky island of its soil each winter, making it difficult to maintain a garden, something Miranda had hoped to do. By spring, the story of Miranda's courage is well-known to passing sailors and they bring her soil on an almost daily basis. Miranda packs the soil between the rocks and soon the island is teeming with colorful flowers.

Lovely watercolor illustrations compliment the story. The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter was inspired by real-life lighthouse heroine Abbie Burgess, and the gardens at Mount Desert Rock Lighthouse.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a childrens' book, the concept of serving when it may be difficult is lovingly presented in both word and illustrations. I would suggest the theme is 'sharing our light'.

This book was mentioned in an article I read, but sadly I cannot recall the article or that author. With that mention, I located the book in my library and brought it in to read.

I'd like to add a copy to my personal library, to read with my grandchildren when they visit.

[Natalie.Nic27 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with this book when I found it at my local library almost 10 years ago. Every time I'd go, I'd check this book out. It's so captivating and very well written. Great children's book!

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes place along the coast of Maine in the mid 1850's, and tells the tale of how a young girl by the name of Miranda kept the oil lamps burning during a winter storm while waiting for her father to return, and keeping ships from crashing into the rocks along the coastline.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have two books about Abbie Burgess who actually did keep the lights burning in the lighthouse where her father was keeper while he was away getting supplies. This story borrowed heavily from those books, including the part where Miranda saves the chickens right before the coop is washed away, and the part about being so low on food that they only had one egg and a bowl of cornmeal mush a day.

[Danielle LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was lovely. Beautiful watercolors complement this dramatic short story about a lighthouse family amidst the harsh Maine winter. Cozy and compelling in the way I remember Laura Ingalls Wilder or Louisa May Alcott’s books to be. Do those hold up? I wonder if Oscar will like stories like this as much as my brothers and I did growing up…

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful story and pictures

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of words for a picture book, but a wonderful story. Would make a great bedtime read, but probably a little longwinded for story time.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Arielle North Olson, c. 1987. Historical fiction based on fact for middle-grade readers, with wonderful watercolor illustrations by Elaine Wentworth.

Miranda and her family have just moved to a lighthouse off the coast of Maine, where her father is the new lighthouse keeper. Miranda, who loves flowers, is disappointed at how barren the rocky island is, but her father explains that during the winter, huge waves wash right across the island, washing away all the soil.
Storms keep the supply boats from running, and as supplies run low at the lighthouse, Miranda's father heads for the mainland in his own boat to replenish their food and other necessities. But the storms never let up, and now Miranda must be the one to keep the lights burning, because her mother is afraid of heights. For weeks, she alone must brave the icy spray, clear the frosted windows, and trim and light the lamps so that boats and ships will be safe.
Finally, her father's boat makes it back to the island, bringing the needed food for them and a surprise for Miranda that will make her very happy.

[Joy]

This story is about a young girl taking care of a lighthouse in Maine during a winter blizzard. Her father has left to go get more supplies and has been gone for three weeks. The daughter makes sure that the lights are always lit at night even though she has a fever and they are low on food. The waves are so big that they sweep over the whole island, almost take her chickens, and almost flood the kitchen to their home. Finally when the storm is subsiding, her father makes it in and brings them food and soil so she can start a garden in the spring.

I think that this is a crazy story! I don't know if I would have been able to keep up with that.

I would use it in my classroom to talk about light houses, blizzards, and how this young girl took the responsibility even though it was a hard job.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great childrens gift book

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s amazing what trials Lighthouse Keepers went through to survive and keep others alive.

[S. Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating information, though the book is repetitive and poorly organized.