"We both want Christmas, Frances thought. So why did people have to live in lonely places like Ledge Light?"
Frances and her little brother Peter are especially lonely this Christmas. Their mother died in the spring and their father has taken a job transfer, moving their little family from the mainland lighthouse to one "in the middle of the ocean." Peter is determined that Christmas will come one way or another and sets out to "plan" it with cheerful drawings of his holidays dreams; cookies, carols around Aunt Martha's piano, candy canes and an evergreen tree. Frances doesn't say it, but an empty pantry and a delayed supply boat don't bode well. She carries on, never dashing Peter's hopes, but not overly optimistic either.
I found this book on the NY Times Review page several weeks ago when I was trolling for children's holiday literature. What can I say about this wonderful little story? Nancy Carpenter's illustrations are done with a limited palette that captures a bygone era. Frances, in her cropped hair and white pinafore is the perfect mix of brave and vulnerable. Snuggled up to a chubby, one-eyed cat with his crayons and paper, Peter is a little boy so filled with hope and optimism, your heart aches for him.
Writer Toni Buzzeo is to be commended for having just the right touch, taking what could have been a sentimental, overwrought tale and weaving something heartfelt and fresh. A Christmas miracle arrives in the form of a special package dropped from a plane piloted by a "flying Santa". A little bit of history about the "Flying Santa Service" follows at the end of the book.
"Lighthouse Christmas" will take its place among my favorites. It is a delight and one I look forward to revisiting each year. To keep or share, "Lighthouse Christmas" is a treasure.
Frances and her little brother Peter are especially lonely this Christmas. Their mother died in the spring and their father has taken a job transfer, moving their little family from the mainland lighthouse to one "in the middle of the ocean." Peter is determined that Christmas will come one way or another and sets out to "plan" it with cheerful drawings of his holidays dreams; cookies, carols around Aunt Martha's piano, candy canes and an evergreen tree. Frances doesn't say it, but an empty pantry and a delayed supply boat don't bode well. She carries on, never dashing Peter's hopes, but not overly optimistic either.
I found this book on the NY Times Review page several weeks ago when I was trolling for children's holiday literature. What can I say about this wonderful little story? Nancy Carpenter's illustrations are done with a limited palette that captures a bygone era. Frances, in her cropped hair and white pinafore is the perfect mix of brave and vulnerable. Snuggled up to a chubby, one-eyed cat with his crayons and paper, Peter is a little boy so filled with hope and optimism, your heart aches for him.
Writer Toni Buzzeo is to be commended for having just the right touch, taking what could have been a sentimental, overwrought tale and weaving something heartfelt and fresh. A Christmas miracle arrives in the form of a special package dropped from a plane piloted by a "flying Santa". A little bit of history about the "Flying Santa Service" follows at the end of the book.
"Lighthouse Christmas" will take its place among my favorites. It is a delight and one I look forward to revisiting each year. To keep or share, "Lighthouse Christmas" is a treasure.
Lighthouse Christmas
written by Toni Buzzeo
illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
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