Manning the Light

During the turn of the twentieth century, lighthouses dotted the New England coast to provide security for ship-going traffic. When 13-year-old Louie and his mother are hired to be keepers of the light at Two Tree Island in the summer of 1903, his year-long adventures with his newfound friends - human as well as feathered - help him move from grief over the loss of his father and teenage uncertainty to maturity and stability. After his father dies, 13-year-old Louie Hollander and his mother must move away from their old home and find a way to make a living. They are hired as keepers of Two Tree Island Lighthouse on Windlass Bay - temporarily. In order to keep the job, Louie and his ma must prove that they can handle the hard work. Tending to the urgent task of protecting sea-going vessels from storm and fog keeps Louie scrambling, especially when equipment breaks down. And even with visits from mainland friends, island living is lonely. An injured sea gull becomes an unexpected pet and a visiting preacher becomes a new fishing buddy. But Louie grieves for his father and misses his best friend, Charlie. Then Louie receives wonderful news. Charlie plans to spend the month of August on Two Tree Island. August can’t come quickly enough. But Louie finds that Charlie has changed a lot. Suddenly Louie must face difficult choices, especially when Charlie’s behavior endangers the operation of the lighthouse.
Manning the Light maintains family values and spiritual foundations that are important in my family’s life today. As a homeschooling mom, I recommend this book as part of a literature based American history curriculum. Elizabeth Giles Griner