Tuesday, December 1, 2020

The Light at Tern Rock by Julia L. Sauer illustrated by Georges Schreiber

*Award winner-Newbery Honor 1952 

Bryon Flagg, the lighthouse keeper on Tern Rock, asks Ronnie and his aunt Martha Morse to take care of it while he is gone for two weeks.  When Mr. Flagg promises that he will return before Christmas, Ronnie and Martha agree to help him.  Martha, who lived fourteen years at Tern Rock, quickly acclimates to the lonesome world and makes it enjoyable for Ronnie.  After two weeks, however, Mr. Flagg does not return.  Soon it is Christmas Eve, and Ronnie and Aunt Martha are still stranded at the lighthouse.  Why would Mr. Flagg break his promise?  How can they enjoy Christmas away from everyone and their traditions?

I read this book aloud to my eleven-year old in one evening!  He thought it was "okay".  I probably enjoyed it more than him.  The writing and description are excellent.  Although the plot was not robust (which is probably what made him not love it), I have been thinking about Ronnie, Aunt Martha, and their situation and how they handled it more than other books I have read lately.

Topics to discuss: disappointment, forgiveness, keeping one's word, lying/deceiving, selfishness

-Borrowed from the library.



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