The happy times living in the lighthouse with her mum and dad are now just memories. It is now up to Emelia, known as Lampie, to light the lamp each evening in the lighthouse she shares with her father. He can no longer climb the sixty-one steps to the top. To light the lamp Lampie needs matches. There is only one match left in the box so tomorrow she will need to cross to the shore when the tide is low. The trouble is Lampie has problems with her memory. This means the next day she forgets about those all important matches until it is almost dark. After a difficult interaction with the shop keeper's wife Lampie rushes home to find the tide has turned. The water is high. The storm is wild and it is so dark. The matches are dropped. Ships in the ocean are in danger of crashing against the rocks.
The town authorities blame Augustus, the lighthouse keeper. His punishment is swift. He is locked inside his lighthouse and his precious daughter is removed from his care.
Lampie is taken to live in a strange house where she is expected to work as a servant. Lampie longs to return to her father. She knows this is all her fault. The grand house has a tower room with a locked door and there are rumors of a monster.
"Now that she can't see his tail, he seems like an ordinary boy. But one with green hair and pitch black devil's eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth."
Lampie is desperate to investigate and thus she finds herself in a world of circus curiosities, pirates and danger. I kept hearing the sound track to The Greatest Show as I read this section.
Lampie and the Children of the Sea has been translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson. The extra word "querido" on the Dutch cover is a Spanish word meaning cherished or dear. Read more about the process of book translation here.
You can read about the inspiration for the story of Lampie on the author web site and you can read a story excerpt here.
Books which are set in and around lighthouses always appeal to me. The Round Island light house on Lake Michigan was the inspiration for this story.
There are aspects of this book that mirror the plot of The Secret Garden. Lampie is sent far away from home just like Mary. Lampie finds her new life confusing and harsh. She hears noises in the night and visits a forbidden room where she meets a young boy who is unwell and crippled. Lampie introduces the boy to the outside world and helps to heal his broken body. But this is all too simple. There are so many interesting twists in this plot.
It’s a beautiful book about standing up against injustice, fighting for what you deserve rather than settling for what life has handed you. Above all it is about being fiercely, proudly, determinedly you. The Booknook
I highly recommend Lampie and the Children of the Sea. I read it in one sitting and 'lived' every moment of terror and confusion along with Lampie all the while desperately hoping the injustices inflicted on her would be reversed and that she could once again join her father in the lighthouse.
Annet Schaap is a well known illustrator in Holland with over 200 titles to her credit. I was excited to discover she provided illustrations for one of my favourite Elizabeth Honey books What do you think, Feezal? Here is the Dutch cover:
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