Hello, friends! Our book today is Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall – a beautiful, understated look at the life of a lighthouse and the family that inhabits it.

On a tiny rock island at the edge of the world, a beautiful lighthouse was built to last forever, the light welcoming seafarers with a “Hello! Hello! Hello!”. The new keeper arrives and throws himself into the simple, repetitive, yet contented daily life of the lighthouse. He maintains the mechanics, spruces up the living areas, writes letters to his wife (sent via message-in-a-bottle), always noting his activities in the lighthouse log. To his joy, a supply ship soon brings his wife to join him on the island, to share love and care of the lighthouse. Some days are different: the keeper and his wife rescue sailors from a wreck, work through illness and harsh weather, and welcome their baby into the world. Years later, the keeper gets a letter: the lighthouse will be retrofitted to automation, and he will be the last keeper. The family packs and sadly leaves, but though the lighthouse now stands empty, its family has not gone far – they now watch over their first home from shore as it once watched over them, lighting a lamp to say hello.

Quiet yet stunning. The story is a heartwarming look into a family and bygone lighthouse life, spanning across years and filled with moments both joyful and exhilarating, then simple and real. You fall in love with the keeper, his wife, and their daughter – and by the end, the lighthouse itself. It becomes a fourth character, so endearing that when the family must leave and the lighthouse stands empty, it’s “Hello?” seems heartbreakingly lonely. It honestly brought a tear to my eye, and I was happy for the uplifting ending. The art is stunningly detailed, using cutaways and unique perspectives to always keep the house feeling open and filled with love. The length was great, and JJ loved it too. Unique, moving, and Baby Bookworm approved!