- a boy and his mother are rescued from a shipwreck by a lighthouse keeper
- after several years of enduring mistreatment (from grandfather and school teachers), the boy reunites with the keeper in a special way
- boy is drafted into war, eventually becoming a POW
- language: the boy calls Miss Duval “Miss Devil”
- outstanding illustrations
- happy ending
Type: short chapter book*
Ages: 8-12
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator: Benji Davies
*I said “short” here instead of “beginner” because the topics seem a little heavy for young ones just starting chapter books. For example, hundreds of men die at sea, he is punished at the prisoner camp for attempting to run away, he has to navigate his mother’s new marriage, and his own growing family is mentioned.
It was a sweet story overall that keeps all of the above mentioned items quite brief. I would have appreciated a bit more depth to the story (parts seemed dry, but maybe that’s a cultural thing I’m missing), but it is still effective as is. Plus, lighthouse books are just charming!