Customer Reviews

The Light at Tern Rock (Puffin Newbery Library)

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"The Light at Tern Rock" is an excellent book to read to your class or have your class read as a trade book during the holiday season. It teaches students to think of others at this time of year and not to always concentrate on themselves. It is suitable for third through fifth graders. It also gives the reader the feeling for living in a lighthouse and what life was like for these people living in desolation. It is an excellent history lesson along with a strong moral lesson. You never tire of the words year after year.

This book tells the story of Ronnie and his aunt Martha Morse. The two are tending the lighthouse as volunteers so the official lighthouse tender can spend time with his daughter. They must take care of the Tern Rock Light until December 15. They must dust, clean, and take care of it. But the fifteenth of December comes, and no one is there to pick the two up. Will they have to spend Christmas in an isolated and remote lighthouse?
In this wonderful book, Ronnie and his aunt learn that Christmas is beautiful anywhere, and the importance of a promise.
This 1952 Newbery Honor Book is for ages 6-13.

This is such a great book for young readers because the detail on every page is exalent.Though in parts of the book it can get confusing but if you try to stick with it you will get it a whole lot better.Believe me this comes from my own experience!!!!!!I would definately recomend this book because dont let its looks diceve you, it may be short but its filled with lots of information!

I realize this book is a classic, but I and my son found it rather boring and sorta... pointless??? I know I'm probably in the minority here, but it's just not a book I'm going to keep and read to each of my children as they grow. There are too many glorious, wondrous stories about Christmas for me to give this one a stellar review.

Reading the other reviews I thought this would be a great book but I honestly wasn't impressed. The writing is skillful and beautifully descriptive but I found the plot to be disappointing. It's true that the moral is clear - I really appreciated how the aunt emphasized the importance of having a positive attitude and making the best out of a poor situation. But that they had been intentionally lied to by the light house keeper really bothered me. Someone will probably come along and say that's the whole point of the story, and maybe it is, but that ruined the book for me. It is great that the aunt and nephew overcame that, but somehow it left me with the impression that I was supposed to empathize with the lighthouse keeper - that his needs were more important than theirs. It just wasn't satisfying. There's no excuse for lying to people to get your own needs met, even if other people learn from your error.

). How would you feel if you were stranded in a lighthouse on an island--and it's almost Christmas? It is about a month before Christmas, and the lighthouse keeper at Tern Rock, Byron Flagg, asks the widow of his predecessor, Martha Morse, and her eleven-year-old nephew Ronnie, if they would watch the lighthouse for two weeks so that he could take a much needed vacation. Aunt Martha hesitates, but Flagg emphasizes how much fun it would be for Ronnie. They finally agree if he promises to come and relieve them by December 15. While at the lighthouse, Ronnie learns how to clean the lantern, polish the lens, wind the mechanism that turns the lamp, pump oil into the chamber, and other routine tasks.
However, December 15 arrives, and Mr. Flagg doesn't come. And he doesn't come. And he doesn't come. Suddenly, it's Christmas Eve. Will they end up having to spend Christmas on Tern Rock after all? This book was a Newbery Honor Book in 1952. It's a touching story which serves as a great reminder about the need for forgiveness and what's really important in life. Yes, Ronnie's mood sours and seeds of bitterness spring up in his heart, but there's a surprise that changes his thinking and brings him newfound joy. The euphemism "gee" is used once. Those who do not observe Christmas as a religious holy day will want to know that there is reference relating the celebration to the birth of Christ. Julia Sauer's Fog Magic was a Newbery Honor Book in 1944.

This would be a fabulous family read aloud for the Christmas season. It's short and very meaningful. Highly recommended!