Featherlight by Peter Bunzl

"There always has to be someone watching the sea and the lantern in case of emergencies. For the rest of the hours of this strange night that person has to be me. For the first time ever, I am by myself in the lighthouse, taking Dad's place on the night watch."

A new baby is due to arrive coming into a family who live in a lighthouse on Featherstone Island. Late one night Deryn's father needs to row her mother over to the town and so Derryn is left alone because someone has to make sure the light keeps burning. The first two nights go well and then her grandmother arrives to help but this is when everything goes wrong. Their oil supplies run out and there is a wild storm and Derryn and her grandmother can see a small fishing boat floundering in the waves.

This story is partly realism and partly magical. During her second night alone Derryn rescues a a small bird that has crashed into the glass of the lantern room. Derryn names the small bird Tan. Derryn tries to feed the tiny creature but it refuses every type of food. Derryn's head is filled with the fairy tales from a book her dad has been reading to her each evening. One story is about the firebird.

"Firebirds would drink the oil from sailor's lamps and then fly above their ships, lighting the way for them."

The Firebird is described as a large bird with majestic plumage that glows brightly emitting red, orange, and yellow light, like a bonfire that is just past the turbulent flame. The feathers do not cease glowing if removed, and one feather can light a large room if not concealed. Wikipedia

Could Tan be a firebird? How can Derryn and her grandmother restore the light and rescue the people in the small boat? Perhaps there is a way Tan can help?

This book is perfect for readers aged 9+. It is a short book with just 90 pages and it has a really good pace. Barrington Stoke do an excellent job of creating very satisfying stories written by skilled UK authors such as Peter Bunzl (Cogheart; Moonlocket; Skycircus; and Shadowsea).

It would be great to share a version of The Firebird story after reading Featherlight but I have not had much luck locating one apart from a few that have been written for reading schemes. I am guessing you might find this fairy tale in an anthology. I did find this four minute video story. Jane Yolen does have a picture book based on the ballet published in 2002.