Set during WWII, we follow Olive and Cliff as they’re evacuated to the coast of Devon after months of heavy air raids across London. A coded note links the disappearance of their sister Sukie to Devon, and Olive is determined to unravel the mystery. My Comments

Letters from the Lighthouse | BookTrust

I enjoyed this book because there were a lot of mysterious things happening and at some points I didn't want to put the book down. I really enjoyed the character Olive because the liked trying to solve her sisters code whom went missing (the sister is called Sukie). This book has made me want to find out more about history because it is set in the 2nd World War and was very interesting so I would love to find out more. I want to read more books by Emma Carroll because they are very interesting and mysterious. Emma really described the characters, their personalities and brought them to life. I extremely liked Olive because she reminded me of a friend from Cornwall (caring). I can really imagine living in the war from reading this book as the description can draw a picture in my mind. I would highly recommend this book to a person who likes adventures and mysteries, and unexpected endings. It's extremely fun and extraordinary. History-lovers would also love this book. The reader really gets a feel for the dangerous living conditions in London during World War II. Told through letters that Molly writes to her mother and siblings, the novel follows Molly’s journey as she helps a young evacuee, Pearl, search for her missing father and navigate the secrets of the lighthouse. Along the way, Molly unravels a host of mysterious stories surrounding her new home on the coast. Olive is 10, and she is dertemend to find out what happend to her sister. Sukie is Olives sister, who goes missing one night during an air raid. Cliff, who is 7, is Olive's younger brother. Ephtaim is the mysterious lighthouse keeper. They are evacuated to Devon where they try to solve the mystery of their missing sister.

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In this book, there were not a lot of illustrations but the ones there were, were thorough and detailed to help visualise the story. Well what can I say Emma Carroll has brought an enlightened and heart wrenching version of events during WW2 with the poignancy of Good Night Mr Tom and the sad reality of the plight of Jewish refugees trying to flee to the UK. Letters from the Lighthouse starts off with relatively few characters, but the number increases steadily as the book progresses, resulting in quite a few by the end. Each character feels necessary, and it’s clear that Emma Carroll has put a lot of thought into what each one can bring to the story. This asymmetric character structure gives the story room to delve into the deep-rooted prejudices often faced by refugees, as seen through the eyes of open-minded children. By shining a spotlight on supplementary characters’ preconceptions and showing their progression towards change and acceptance, my class were able to connect with the injustices faced by refugees, both in the past and the present, on a far deeper level.

Lighthouse Display Lettering (teacher made) - Twinkl Lighthouse Display Lettering (teacher made) - Twinkl

She discovers that secret meetings are taking place at night in an old boathouse and that the harbor has been taken over by a group of strangers. Although she is sometimes scared, Molly is determined to protect Pearl and discovers that the lighthouse holds a long-buried secret that could change her life forever. Details of Letters from the Lighthouse Book BookI did enjoy this book because I like the characters in the story. I thought that the story was interesting and that the history in the book was believable. I found the history about World War II interesting and it encouraged me to try to find out more. Adult characters initially treat a downed German pilot in a threatening manner, including spitting at him. The book does not feature heavy setting descriptions. Instead, Emma Carroll increases her use of descriptive language at key points, heightening the impact on the reader. An example of this comes early in the book, when an air raid hits London. Her sudden escalation of setting at that particular moment, paints a vivid, gritty picture of life in London during WWII, making the overall scene resonate in a much deeper, more meaningful way. February, 1941. After months of bombing raids in London, twelve-year-old Olive Bradshaw and her little brother Cliff are evacuated to the Devon coast. The only person with two spare beds is Mr Ephraim, the local lighthouse keeper. But he's not used to company and he certainly doesn't want any evacuees. Scrisori din far” este o istorie de viață de care te îndrăgostești încă de la prima pagină și pe care ajungi să o porți în suflet mult timp după ce închizi ultima filă. Autoarea creează o adevărată feerie de poveste, desprinsă din timpuri în care camaraderia și respectul pentru om, indiferent de rasă, naționalitate și religie era încă o virtute în sine. Ea aduce în prim-plan personaje diverse, cu accentul pus pe o copilă, care învață pe propria sa piele ce înseamnă toleranța și într-ajutorarea celor din jur, aflați în necaz. Emma Caroll ne poartă pașii până în anul 1941, când Londra pare a fi în flăcări, căci nemții aruncă peste ea bombe peste bombe. Tocmai de aceea, părinții își trimit copiii singuri, în zonele rurale, pentru a îi salva un pic de la toată trauma pe care o provoacă un război de o asemenea amploare. Romanul acesta, atât de potrivit pentru copii și adolescenți pentru a afla ce a însemnat cel de Al Doilea Război Mondial și ce suferințe a provocat, este unul plin de aventură, de mister întreținut prin intermediul unor coduri secrete, dar și unul despre a fi om chiar și în timpuri grele, despre umanitate, comunitate, acceptare, toleranță, iubire de aproape, prietenie, compasiune, creare de legături născute din suferințe mari și bunătate arătată tuturor, indiferent dacă sunt prieteni sau dușmani. Tocmai prin acest mesaj și această uriașă lecție de viață încântă sufletele cititorilor săi autoarea:

Letters from the Lighthouse Whole Class Reading | Teaching Letters from the Lighthouse Whole Class Reading | Teaching

This book portrays both the light and shade of humanity in its truest form. I had no idea the difficulties Jews faced trying to enter our country at such a time and wish that our laws would have done more to help. I enjoyed this book very much. I particularly liked the character Sukie and I like the part where the bomb goes off while they are at the cinema. I thought the history was so realistic and it's made me want to find out more about the history and that time period in particular. What a great little book. Carroll captures the reader's interest right from the beginning and maintains it throughout the book. There are plenty of 'sub' storylines that run throughout the book, creating questions as you read. Why is Esther how she is? Who is Mrs Arby? Why is Queenie the way she is? Why are we not allowed to find out what is in Ephraim's cupboards or the top floor, and finally the big question- Where is Sukie and what does the note mean? Carroll takes the readers on an emotional 'treasure hunt', encouraging us to empathise with Olive as well as gaining an understanding of what it might have been like to live as an evacuee during the war. I couldn't put the book down, and I think it would be an excellent read for upper KS2 children. I adored how the chapter names had relevance to the war. Although it is fiction, the book contains a lot of historical contexts and this could be a powerful teaching tool to use across the curriculum.Letters from the Lighthouse book has been translated into multiple languages and editions. The book has been translated into Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, and Chinese. Book Editions I would personally recommend this story a 4 out of 5. The illustrations just let me feel a bit disappointed but overall the plot was enthralling with an original storyline. Initially, I didn't want to read a WW2 book, but having read it, I'm really glad that I did and it has left me in the mood for more Emma Carroll books. It gave me a feel for WW2 and the contrast between countryside and city life. I think it should be for aged 9 and above as it would go over the heads of younger children. It was accurate, clever and intriguing, and it also was fun and had a satisfying ending. I highly recommend it.

Letters from the Lighthouse | Vocabulary Ninja Letters from the Lighthouse | Vocabulary Ninja

Carroll has always had a passion for writing and loves researching historical settings for her books. She is inspired by the beauty of nature and often writes stories with a strong environmental message. Her work also often features strong female characters who show resilience in tough situations.

After Suki's disappearance, Olive's mother fears for her children's safety and evacuates them to Devon where they stay in a lighthouse. Even though Olive is in Devon, she is determined to find out what really happened to her sister. Olive is still convinced that she is still alive somewhere. Emma Carroll pulls on the reader’s heartstrings. She made me feel bad for Olive, but not only for her, for all people and families that suffered throughout WWII. The author used such powerful vocabulary, it felt like I was there. Not only is this a great book, it spreads a message. It shows you that just because you have a different religion, or you think differently, doesn’t mean you’re good or bad.’