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Lighthouse Girl

By Dianne Wolfer
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3.83 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Lighthouse Girl by Dianne Wolfer is set during World War I and follows a young girl named Fay who lives on an isolated lighthouse island. As soldiers depart for the front, she communicates with them via semaphore flags and Morse code, forming heartfelt connections amid the backdrop of war and isolation. The story beautifully intertwines historical events with Fay’s personal journey, capturing themes of courage and hope.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this story if you are interested in historical tales that blend real-life events with heartwarming fiction. Set against the backdrop of World War I, it captures the life of a young girl living on a remote island, highlighting themes of courage, resilience, and the power of communication. This book may appeal to those who appreciate beautifully illustrated stories that offer a glimpse into history through the eyes of an engaging young protagonist.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

It's 1914. Fay can shoot a rabbit and make a mean nettle stew. She understands Morse code and the semaphoric alphabet. She knows where the penguins nest and when the humpbacks migrate. But until she starts writing to a soldier named Charlie, she's never known friendship - and she's never had a friend to lose.

Fay lives alone with her father on bleak, windswept Breaksea Island, but her isolated life takes a dramatic turn with the outbreak of World War I.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Fay lives alone with her father on bleak, windswept Breaksea Island, but her isolated life takes a dramatic turn with the outbreak of World War I.

Fay collects the messages of lonely soldiers heading to the frontline. She is their last hope of getting messages telegraphed back home. After their departure for the battlefields of Egypt and Gallipoli, she follows their fortunes and continues her long-distance conversations with letters and postcards.

Then one day, a single, sad telegram arrives, and the war is brought brutally home.

Based on the true story of Faye Howe, this gentle tale brings to life the hardships of those left at home during the war - waiting, wondering, hoping. Drawing on fascinating archival material, and interweaving fact with fiction, Dianne Wolfer deftly recreates this period in Australian history from the perspective of a young girl.

Lighthouse Girl offers a profoundly moving insight into the impact of war, capturing both the personal and the universally shared wartime experience.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Lighthouse Girl by Dianne Wolfer is praised for its evocative storytelling, complemented by illustrations, sepia photographs, and news clippings that create an immersive historical experience. The book is noted for appealing to both early and older readers.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781921696572

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 June 2010

Country: Australia

Imprint: Fremantle Press

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Brian Simmonds

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 176.0mm

Height: 220.0mm

Weight: 415g

Pages: 124

Collections

Children's Books Children's Historical Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational Dianne Wolfer Historical Fiction Penguin Books Young Adult

About the Author

Dianne Wolfer is the author of 15 books for teenagers and young readers. Light Horse Boy was a Children's Book Council of Australia Honour Book and won the 2014 Western Australian Premier's Book Award for Children's Books. Granny Grommet and Me, inspired by surfing grandmas, was also on the CBCA shortlist. Lighthouse Girl, winner of a West Australian Young Readers' Book Award, explores the story of Fay Howe, the Albany lighthouse keeper's daughter who signalled to soldiers in 1914. It inspired the hugely popular Royal de Luxe performance of The Giants at Perth Festival (2015). Dianne wrote her latest book, The Shark Caller, as part of the PhD she is currently completing at UWA, but she has been dreaming about this story for ten years.

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