THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER

No need to fear—the lighthouse keeper is here!

Alone amid a sea of restless waves and pitch-black nights, a lone lighthouse keeper rescues those in need. Snazzily dressed in round blue spectacles and a yellow and green striped suit with wide lapels, the keeper “embraces everyone he finds lost and alone, // and they leave feeling better / eager to get back home.” His most loving and complicated relationship is with the moon, the very entity controlling the vast waters he safeguards. He works on building their bond through waters calm and stormy, and eventually they form a genuine connection. This is a stunning look at the power of compassion and resilience, as well as the need to respect nature. Maude’s fantastic translation of Mexican author Fernández Vázquez’s original Spanish text is playful, with a rhyme scheme that scans well. Villanueva Segovia’s textured illustrations are beautifully scaled, capturing the awe of the quiet yet sometimes violent activity of the oceans—showcased in harrowing spreads of sailors caught in a shipwreck and waves crashing against rocks in bright pastel tones set against a deep rich black backdrop—while still maintaining a sense of whimsy throughout (the lighthouse keeper’s beard is composed of hundreds of small fish that lovingly wrap themselves around the people he saves). The keeper is pale-skinned; those caught up in the waves are a ghostly white.

A remarkable look at the importance of selfless acts.