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In this tender story inspired by a popular lighthouse legend, Toni Buzzeo gives the reader a timeless tale about the meaning of family and the unique bond shared by sisters. As her great-great-niece sits close beside her, holding a worn photograph of a baby, Aunt Maita tells the young girl the story of her life at Sanctuary Island. When Aunt Maita was ten years old, she was a lonely only child living at a lighthouse in Maine. During a particularly violent winter storm, Maita and her parents stay up all night; her father tending the light while Maita and her mother watch and worry as a ship tries to make safe passage through the churning seas. Despite their best efforts, the ship is lost to the sea. The next day, Maita and her father go down to the shoreline to search for sea glass. Instead of bits of colored glass, they find a bundle of mattresses that washed ashore from the ship that was lost in the night. Within the mattresses they find a wooden chest; within the chest they find a baby girl. Her parents last act was to bundle her in the sea chest and hope that their daughter would survive. Maita names the baby Seaborne, and her parents raise the girl as their own. Seaborne sleeps in the sea chest that protected her until she grows too large for it. As the years pass, Maita is delighted to have a sister to share with; she's no longer a lonely little girl wishing for a friend. When Aunt Maita finishes her story, her young niece looks at the old sea chest, which is waiting to be used for a new occupant: "...the tiny stranger my mama and papa have gone to fetch from so far across the wide Atlantic. To be my sister." Beautifully illustrated by Mary GrandPre (best known for her work on the Harry Potter series), this lyrical story of adoption and sisterly love is not to be missed.

Aberrations is an extraordinary debut novel for Penelope Przekop. This is not just a coming of age story, it is truly an awakening. Angel Duet is a 21-year-old narcoleptic living in Louisiana during the 1980’s. Her mother died when she was born, and all that Angel has of her mother are stories told to her by her father, and a series of cloud photographs taken by her mother. When her father’s new girlfriend moves in, the pictures come off the wall and Angel finds her familiar life turned upside down. She feels the loss of the pictures as another person would feel a parent’s death. Throughout the story we see her searching for the one thing she’s never felt, but needs so acutely – a mother’s love. This search will lead her down a dark path of drugs and sexual experimentation, before ultimately leading her to demand real answers from her father. Aberrations is an intriguing look into the secrets people keep and their motivations for keeping them. Every character has something that they want to hide from others: a medical condition, their sexuality, an extra-marital affair. As the story progresses, we glimpse each character’s secret. Some secrets, once revealed, are liberating for the characters. Others are absolutely devastating. The secrets that Angel’s father has kept from her concerning her mother will irrevocably change her life. Przekop has crafted some truly fascinating characters in this novel. I found myself drawn to each character, but I was most drawn to Angel. As a person living with a chronic illness, I easily identified with Angel’s struggle with narcolepsy and her desire to not allow the illness to define her. Powerful and stirring, Aberrations is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. Don’t miss this one!

As a young girl, Hillary Rodham dreamed of being an astronaut. Although life would ultimately take her down a different path, her dreams served her well later in life. In Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight, author Kathleen Krull and illustrator Amy June Bates share the story of a little girl who followed her dreams and became an inspiration to millions of women of all ages. Beautiful watercolor art and inspiring quotations accompany Krull’s writing. We follow Hillary through her early education all the way to law school, from her time as First Lady of Arkansas to the First Lady of the United States, all the way to her historic run for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. Hillary faced many obstacles along the way, but her hard work and determination to succeed are an incredible example to young girls with big dreams. This book would be a good choice for classroom or home school use. In addition to the main story, Kathleen Krull has included five pages of more detailed information about the events covered in the book. This supplemental material is very interesting and will deepen an older child’s understanding of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s life and career.

Being a lighthouse keeper is a lonely job that requires much dedication. Each night the lighthouse keeper climbs up, up, up the stairs to light the twenty four candles in the lighthouse beacon. Each morning he climbs the stairs again to extinguish the candles and perform the daily maintenance that keeps the light visible to passing ships. One afternoon, the supply ship arrives with groceries for the lighthouse keeper. In addition to the usual food and supplies, the supply ship is also carrying a stowaway: a small silver cat. The keeper names the cat Mackeral and the cat becomes a steadfast companion to the lighthouse keeper. Mackeral has many adventures on the island. He makes friends with puffins and seagulls, helps the keeper collect driftwood that is used to make furniture, finds a message in a bottle and scans the sea for passing ships. During a very stormy night, wind extinguishes the candles in the lighthouse tower. The keeper tries to signal passing ships with a hand lantern, but the wind blows that out as well. Seeing this, Mackeral springs into action. He climbs to the top of the lighthouse tower and meows loudly. Eleven cats from nearby homes answer his call and join him in the lighthouse. Moonlight is reflected in the cats' eyes so that there are twenty four small glowing lights in the lantern room and ships can safely navigate to port. Colorful illustrations and the repetitive language ("Up, up, up") will make this book a read aloud favorite. The lighthouse featured in The Lighthouse Cat was inspired by Smeaton's Tower, which stood for over 100 years just south of Plymouth, England. The lighthouse was lit by twenty four large candles.

Left in the care of his aunt while his father is at sea, 11-year-old Digory Beale is plagued by nightmares of his father dying in a terrible storm. Digory has always been afraid of the sea, preferring to draw when other boys were competing for sailing jobs. When word comes that his father’s ship has gone down, it seems that his worst fear has been realized. Digory must set out for Plymouth to learn his father’s fate. His aunt tells him not to return unless he finds his father alive. With eleven children of her own, she can’t afford another mouth to feed. Digory and his 9-year-old brother Cubby (who decides to follow Digory rather than stay with their aunt) face a difficult journey with little food, no money, and dwindling hope that their father is still alive. In Plymouth, Digory and Cubby receive the crushing news that there were no survivors from their father’s ship. With their hopes of reuniting with their father dashed, the boys are alone and scared. Just when they think things can’t get any worse, Digory and Cubby are framed for stealing. A man named Henry Winstanley intercedes on their behalf and this chance meeting will drastically alter Digory’s life. Henry Winstanley takes the boys to be servants at his home in Essex, but Winstanley’s home is no ordinary country estate. An engineer with a fondness for gadgets, Winstanley has filled his home with many whimsical inventions including a “Flying Chair” (an early version of the roller coaster), a mechanical dragon, and fountains that shoot colored water into the air. When Winstanley discovers Digory’s artistic talent, he offers him an apprenticeship. Digory thrives under the engineer’s tutelage. When Winstanley receives news that the Eddystone Lighthouse, a beacon that he designed, is in need of repair after severe storms, he and Digory rush to Plymouth. Digory will finally have to face his fear of the sea in order to assist his beloved mentor. While Digory and Cubby are fictional characters, Henry Winstanley was real. In 1698, he took on what many thought was an impossible task: construction of a lighthouse off the treacherous Eddystone reef near Plymouth, England. The Eddystone Lighthouse sustained severe damage during its first year of operation and was rebuilt with a modified design. For five years not a single ship was lost to the reef. In 1703, the lighthouse was destroyed during the Great Storm, the worst weather disaster in Britain’s history. Henry Winstanley and five others were killed when the lighthouse succumbed to the sea. The Eddystone Lighthouse was later rebuilt, and thanks to Winstanley’s vision, thousands of lives have been saved. Elvira Woodruff has written an exciting and well-researched tale of courage and friendship. The book includes a glossary, a map of England in 1700 highlighting the key locations in the story as well as an extensive author’s note about the life and accomplishments of Henry Winstanley. Highly recommended.

Opening Drood by Dan Simmons is like stepping into a time machine. I could almost feel the cobblestones of London’s back alleys beneath my feet and smell the overpowering stench of raw sewage draining into the Thames. In June of 1865, world-famous author Charles Dickens and his mistress were among the few survivors of a horrific train crash. Simmons manages to weave this real-life event into a compelling and terrifying tale of murder, jealousy, ancient Egyptian magic and mesmerism. Drood is narrated by Dickens’ fellow author, friend and sometimes rival Wilkie Collins. A laudanum addict, Collins is an unreliable narrator at best. Three days after the accident at Staplehurst, Dickens relates the harrowing experience to Collins. At the center of his tale is a mysterious man named Drood; a disfigured, wraith-like creature who seemed to float back and forth amongst the dead and dying victims of the crash. Was he rendering assistance to these unfortunate souls or hastening their departure from this mortal coil? Dickens becomes obsessed with finding Drood, and this search will lead him and Collins into a labyrinthine world hidden below London's poorest districts. The horrors that await them there will change both of the authors – and their friendship – forever. Collins begins to wonder if Dickens has simply gone mad from the trauma he endured at Staplehurst or if he has fallen under the mesmeric influence of Drood, a man rumored to have killed over 300 people. Victorian London is masterfully depicted; the sights, sounds and even smells seem to come alive and add a rich sense of atmosphere to this dark story. The first 100 pages of Drood were slow-going for me, but they established a framework that was essential and very rewarding later in the book. I never knew what to expect with this story, and the shocking ending left me re-evaluating virtually every conclusion I'd come to over the length of the book. While it's still very early in 2009, I can certainly see Drood as one of my favorite reads of the year.

Based on the true story of lighthouse heroine Abbie Burgess, Abbie Against the Storm is an inspiring story of courage complimented by beautiful artwork. When her family moves to Matinicus Rock Lighthouse in Maine, Abbie quickly becomes an invaluable assistant to her lighthouse keeper father. Abbie understands that keeping the beacon burning is a matter of life and death to sailors like her brother Ben. When the supply ship does not arrive as scheduled, Abbie's father must head to the mainland for much-needed supplies and food for his family. He leaves Abbie in charge of the lights, knowing that she will be able to keep them burning in his absence. As a violent storm threatens the area, Abbie's quick thinking and determination enable her to avert disaster. The young woman saves the family's hens just before the hen house is washed away. When the dangerous waves also claim the oil shed and fog bell, Abbie fears that the family's home will be destroyed next. After moving her family to the safety of the sturdy north tower, Abbie stays up all night to keep the lighthouse's beams shining through the storm. The family's supply of food dwindles, and Abbie worries that her father may not return before the family starves. Despite the intense cold, hunger pangs, and an uncertain future, Abbie tirelessly tends the light until her father returns. Farnsworth's vivid illustrations bring the daily duties of a 19th century lighthouse keeper to life. There is an especially striking illustration of Abbie polishing the lantern reflectors in the lighthouse tower. Abbie Against the Storm is an excellent book for lighthouse enthusiasts of all ages.

In 1905 New England, thirteen-year old Katherine Williams loves life in the quaint village of Cape Light. Known to her friends as Kat, she dreams of one day being a famous artist living in a big city. Kat's father is a lighthouse keeper and Kat helps with many of the lighthouse duties. Each night she takes the first watch from dusk until midnight. When the light fails during a storm, Kat is instrumental in helping a Boston couple avoid a shipwreck. The couple is so grateful for Kat's help that they arrange an invitation to a prestigious art school in Boston for the girl. Tuition is expensive, though, and Kat's parents cannot afford it. However, if Kat can come up with half of the tuition fee, her parents will pay the other half. With the help of her friend Amanda and her cousin Lizabeth, Kat tries to earn her half of the money. After two failed entrepreneurial attempts, Kat has success selling hand-painted wrapping paper to several local shops. This allows her to earn her half of the tuition fee. When an unexpected expense leaves her father unable to pay the rest, Kat is furious at her parents. She makes a rash decision that could cost her something far more precious than just the chance to attend art school -- it could cost her her life. Erika Tamar captures the ups and downs of teenage emotions very well, unfortunately this meant that Kat's character irritated me for most of the book. With each poor decision that she made, I found her more difficult to like. However, Cape Light is a very charming setting and the friendship between the three girls seems genuine. Inspired by the paintings of Thomas Kinkade, this entertaining and wholesome series will likely appeal to young girls.

Life as a sea captain's dog means protecting your owner's ship, but there is little that a dog can do against a dangerous winter storm. When the ship hits the rocks near Maine's Great Duck Island Lighthouse, the sailors must abandon ship. As the captain's dog tries to climb into the safety of the lifeboat, one of the men panics. Fearing that the dog's weight will cause the lifeboat to capsize, the man strikes the dog with an oar. The sailors are helped to safety by the lighthouse keeper, but the dog is presumed to have drowned. Life as a lighthouse keeper's daughter can be lonely. Young Sarah wishes for a friend. While exploring the island the day after the sailors were rescued, Sarah finds the dog washed up on the shore. Her father helps her bring the dog to the house, and Sarah nurses him back to health. She names the dog Seaboy and the two become constant companions. When the sea captain returns to the lighthouse months later to say thank you, will he take Sarah's best friend away from her? This pleasant picture book is based on true events. The addition of rhyming verses to the main narrative seems awkward, but this is only a small detraction from an otherwise excellent book.