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The Light at Tern Rock (Puffin Newbery Library) Paperback – April 1, 1994

by Julia L. Sauer (Author), George Schreiber (Illustrator)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 61 ratings
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A Newbery Honor Book

Will Ronnie have to spend Christmas stranded in a lighthouse?
 
Ronnie and his aunt are tending the Tern Rock lighthouse for two December weeks while its keeper takes a much-needed vacation. Ronnie learns to love the slap of the waves against the Rock, sleeping in a bunk, climbing the winding staircase, and lighting the great lamp each night, and he looks forward to telling his family about it Christmas. But the days go by, and the lighthouse keeper doesn’t return to take them home.
 
“Julia Sauer has again captured in words the delight of a perfect moment.” —Library Journal 

"A beautiful story." —The Christian Science Monitor
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    64 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    3 - 7
  5. Lexile measure
    820L
  6. Dimensions
    7.5 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches
  7. Publisher
    Puffin Books
  8. Publication date
    April 1, 1994
  9. ISBN-10
    0140368574
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0140368574
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Julia L. Sauer was a writer of children's fiction and a librarian. Two of her books, Fog Magic and The Light at Tern Rock, were among the annual Newbery Medal runners-up. Both are set in Canada, where Sauer frequently vacationed.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Puffin Books; 0 edition (April 1, 1994)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140368574
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140368574
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 820L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.01 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 61 ratings

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Julia L. Sauer

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
61 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

MLCO
5.0 out of 5 stars Family Read Aloud Tradition
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2022
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We love reading this each year so much that we gave copies to family and friends this year! Beautiful story about the meaning of Christmas and forgiveness. Appropriate for all ages
4 people found this helpful
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Eleni
5.0 out of 5 stars Like it!
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2018
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Easy to read. I recommend for kids and adults
2 people found this helpful
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Fish Lady
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read. I actually felt like I was there ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2015
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Story, characters and writing style were all delightful. A very good read. I actually felt like I was there in the lighthouse with the characters!
4 people found this helpful
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Pierce’s Top Picks
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2017
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LOVE this book and the artwork.
3 people found this helpful
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White Fang
4.0 out of 5 stars A Story About Christmas and a Lighthouse - A Perfect Combination!
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
"Lighthouses are like a helping hand reaching out from Heaven itself and the tending of them is good work." Oh, to be a boy (or girl) and to spend Christmas in a lighthouse! What fun and adventure would be waiting for you. So it is with Ronnie and his Aunt Martha. Actually the whole story only involves three characters - Ronnie - a fourth or fifth grader, Aunt Martha Morse - a retired lighthouse keeper's wife and Byron Flagg - the current lighthouse keeper who longs to spend Christmas with his only relatives. Anyone who has ever visited a lighthouse or ever wanted to spend a night in a lighthouse will enjoy this quick read book. Byron Flagg, a sixty plus lighthouse keeper, has never spent a Christmas with his only nephews and nieces. He devises a plan whereby he can leave the lighthouse for the Christmas season and enjoy time with his relatives. That plan is to get Martha Morse and her nephew, Ronnie to accept the responsibility of manning and maintaining the lighthouse until the 15th of December. Byron Flagg's somewhat devious plan has Aunt Martha and Ronnie staying much longer and through Christmas. The reader will experience the disappointment and frustration of this young boy in a broken promise by the lighthouse keeper. Even though Ronnie is disappointed, his Aunt and he eventually overcome the disappointment of not being home for Christmas. They fully accept their responsibility to keep the Tern Rock Lighthouse operating - even on the most important holiday of the year.

There are many moral lessons that can be derived from this book - the frustration and disappointment resulting from a broken promise, making the best of a difficult situation, the importance of spending a special holiday with the ones we love, overcoming self pity. accepting responsibility and understanding other's feelings and motives.

This small book of 62 pages can easily be read in one sitting. It would make a great read-aloud for a public or private school classroom of third to fifth grade students. This book is a double blessing because it appeals to those who love lighthouses as well to those who love Christmas. I give the book 4 stars only because it is so short. I believe the story could have been developed a bit more. Having said that, I heartily recommend this book. Most third to fifth grade students would enjoy reading it independently and also enjoy having it read to them orally. Actually, I believe adults would also enjoy this book. Instead of the constant steady stream of the same plot romantic movie productions that are on TV during the Christmas Season, this story would make a wonderful TV Holiday movie. Come on, Hallmark, open your eyes to these neat Christmas stories and make one into a non-romantic Christmas movie.
12 people found this helpful
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John Theo Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice read.
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2022
Better than most modern Christmas stories.
One person found this helpful
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Mrs. Lumpy
3.0 out of 5 stars Not fabulous, but beaugifully written. Quick read duing the holidays.
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
We read this book because it was on the Sonlight reading list for the K level. I liked that it was short and sweet... the descriptions were beautifully written and it lead to a great discussion about honesty. Do I think it will be one of those stories that really stick with my children? No. But it was a quick read during the holidays, so I cannot complain.
8 people found this helpful
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Oddsfish
5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Story from an Earlier Time
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2012
I honeymooned on Prince Edward Island and Novia Scotia this summer, and when I ran across this little book in my wife's classroom set and noticed the Canadian coastal setting, I read it just just for the connection to the place. I'm glad that I did.

The story concerns Ronnie and his aunt, who have been convinced by the regular keeper of Tern Lighthouse to tend it for several weeks. The keeper promises to return several days early so that Ronnie and his aunt can spend Christmas at home. But, of course, something is up, and when the keeper doesn't arrive, they are stranded!

The book is short and largely eventless, and it would probably be dull except for two things. For one, the book teaches a wise lesson about the necessity to interpret people and actions with a charitable heart, and the lesson isn't just preached in the novel but is portrayed and experienced. Second, the finale is just beautifully written. The final scene between Ronnie and his aunt, the gorgeous, gorgeous prose, and the well-orchestrated symbolism just convey such a strong sensation of compassion and warmth. This book took only about a half an hour to read, but it made a strong impression on me.

I will tell readers that the novel was written several decades ago and so features strong Christian imagery and allusion to the Christmas story and meaning. That's not going to be for everyone, I'm sure, and some readers so inclined may want to avoid it. But it's a phenomenally well-written little piece and, for myself, a new favorite Christmas story.
15 people found this helpful
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