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Caleb's Lighthouse
"Caleb's Lighthouse" is an epic tale of romance and the true meaning of love. With colorful, sweeping illustrations by artist Stewart Sherwood and a story written by Mark Kimball Moulton, author of "A Snowman Named Just Bob", this grand new book from Lang Books is certain to become a treasure to be read over and over again. A perfect book for all ages! Each Lang Book is encased in a beautiful keepsake sleeve. 11-1/2"w X 10-3/4h", 48 pages.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 10, 2014
Beautiful story with vivid artwork. Poetry was a very moving way to tell this tale of love and desire to reunite through struggle and despair.
June 23, 2017
I'm sure many would find this book and story beautiful. I found it sad. Much too sad to read to a child.
Talking points - When someone is in trouble, what is the best way to rescue them? What do you need to consider when you are trying to rescue someone? Can every mistake be set right? In this life? In the next? In this story, what would you have done?
Talking points - When someone is in trouble, what is the best way to rescue them? What do you need to consider when you are trying to rescue someone? Can every mistake be set right? In this life? In the next? In this story, what would you have done?
October 29, 2025
I wouldn’t read it to young children, but it sure was good for the right audience. 12+ or so.
March 25, 2014
Genre: realistic fiction, Middle School book in verse
Age range: 4th grade +
Intended audience: 4th - 10th grade
Themes: devotion, courage, loss, grieving, reflection on the past, family, storms
Curriculum ties: Social Studies / History: lighthouses and their roles, inhabitants, purposes; fishermen and sailors; women's studies; Science: weather; oceans; Literature: stories in verse, cadence, Neptune, perspective; vocabulary
Characters: Caleb, Loreena, Sean
Setting: Caleb's lighthouse; the ocean
Summary: Caleb is introduced in part one as an old man who stares at the sea every night and thinks back over his life, back to when he was a skilled sailor and fisherman who went to sea every day regardless the weather. The rest of part one consists of Caleb meeting, falling in love with, and marrying Loreena, a city girl who learns to love the sea "because she is Caleb's wife." The couple have a child named Sean. Part two tells the woeful tale of Caleb getting stuck out in a storm and Loreena taking Sean into a boat to go searching for her husband. Caleb survives the storm and goes home to his family, only to find them missing. Both husband and wife experience spiritual connections to each other throughout the trauma, but those cease once the storm passes. The end of part two makes it seem that Loreena and Sean passed away in the storm. Part three shows Caleb as an old man again, and described his reunion with his long-lost son. Sean tells his father about how he and Loreena ended up living on a deserted island, but when she passed away much later, Sean went looking for Caleb. The story ends with an Epilogue that describes Caleb telling his story to his grandchildren and looking forward to being reunited with Loreena "beyond the rainbow sky."
Personal response: The language in Caleb's Lighthouse is beautiful, but sophisticated. The pictures and general tone of the book convey the story enough so that if student's don't fully comprehend the words, they can still get the idea and keep up with what's happening. Though it's a love story, Caleb's Lighthouse is also a tragedy, and students need to be mature enough to deal with the themes of loss and grieving. The vocabulary is rich and an entire unit could be taught on just the terminology used; ebbing, mast, bluff, shoreline, perch, gale-wind, Neptune, apparition, oilskin coat, assent, tides, currents, cod, moor, etc. This is not an easy read; the reader needs to know how to read the words, how to read the verses in rhythm, and needs to interpret the foggy, stormy illustrations. After hearing it, my fourth graders had lots of questions about what had happened, and they also wanted to scold Loreena for being careless with her son's life. It made for interesting discussions.
Age range: 4th grade +
Intended audience: 4th - 10th grade
Themes: devotion, courage, loss, grieving, reflection on the past, family, storms
Curriculum ties: Social Studies / History: lighthouses and their roles, inhabitants, purposes; fishermen and sailors; women's studies; Science: weather; oceans; Literature: stories in verse, cadence, Neptune, perspective; vocabulary
Characters: Caleb, Loreena, Sean
Setting: Caleb's lighthouse; the ocean
Summary: Caleb is introduced in part one as an old man who stares at the sea every night and thinks back over his life, back to when he was a skilled sailor and fisherman who went to sea every day regardless the weather. The rest of part one consists of Caleb meeting, falling in love with, and marrying Loreena, a city girl who learns to love the sea "because she is Caleb's wife." The couple have a child named Sean. Part two tells the woeful tale of Caleb getting stuck out in a storm and Loreena taking Sean into a boat to go searching for her husband. Caleb survives the storm and goes home to his family, only to find them missing. Both husband and wife experience spiritual connections to each other throughout the trauma, but those cease once the storm passes. The end of part two makes it seem that Loreena and Sean passed away in the storm. Part three shows Caleb as an old man again, and described his reunion with his long-lost son. Sean tells his father about how he and Loreena ended up living on a deserted island, but when she passed away much later, Sean went looking for Caleb. The story ends with an Epilogue that describes Caleb telling his story to his grandchildren and looking forward to being reunited with Loreena "beyond the rainbow sky."
Personal response: The language in Caleb's Lighthouse is beautiful, but sophisticated. The pictures and general tone of the book convey the story enough so that if student's don't fully comprehend the words, they can still get the idea and keep up with what's happening. Though it's a love story, Caleb's Lighthouse is also a tragedy, and students need to be mature enough to deal with the themes of loss and grieving. The vocabulary is rich and an entire unit could be taught on just the terminology used; ebbing, mast, bluff, shoreline, perch, gale-wind, Neptune, apparition, oilskin coat, assent, tides, currents, cod, moor, etc. This is not an easy read; the reader needs to know how to read the words, how to read the verses in rhythm, and needs to interpret the foggy, stormy illustrations. After hearing it, my fourth graders had lots of questions about what had happened, and they also wanted to scold Loreena for being careless with her son's life. It made for interesting discussions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2012
I got this book because my son's name is Caleb and thought he might appreciate a book named after him when he is older. It was such a beautiful story that had a surprise ending that brought me to tears.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews