Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog

by Caroline Arnold (Author) Rachell Sumpter (Illustrator)

Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Inspired by the logs of a female lightkeeper who kept the light shining through the fog following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, this adventurous story captures an important piece of American history

Juliet Fish Nichols is the keeper of the light on Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her foe? The fog. Day and night--summer, fall, winter, spring--she must keep the light shining and the fog bell ringing, no matter what. But what happens when there is a major earthquake? What happens when the bell breaks? Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog was inspired by the real Juliet's lightkeeper logs and adventures.

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Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

A fascinating introduction to a once-celebrated, now lesser-known lightkeeper.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--In a story inspired by real journals, this picture book gives readers a fictional glimpse into the day-to-day activities of a dedicated lighthouse keeper. In 1902, Juliet Fish Nichols began working at Angel Island to guide ships safely to San Francisco. Set in a journal format, descriptive language and hazy illustrations put the readers in her place as she tends to the mundane, everyday chores, while "the fog, my foe," is a constant concern. Eventually, the story's pace picks up when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake hits, followed months later with the lighthouse's machinery breaking. Every 15 seconds, through a long night, Juliet must strike the bell to warn ships in the fog. Readers will admire her bravery and steadfastness, but might struggle to stay interested during the story's slower sections. The specialized focus may also narrow the audience to local readers. There are intriguing tidbits dropped along the way, like how both Nichols and her mother were lighthouse keepers at the same time in different locations, but those are not explained until the back matter. VERDICT For patient readers with a demonstrated interest in lighthouses or historical fiction.--Elissa Cooper

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"The story is well told and interesting. . .An attractive picture book celebrating a lighthouse keeper's dedication to her work." —Booklist
Caroline Arnold
Caroline Arnold is the author of more than 160 books for children. She writes both fiction and nonfiction and recently has illustrated some of her books with striking cut paper art. To see prints and cards of her illustrations, go to www.etsy.com/shop/CarolineArnoldArt. Her newest book, Hatching Chicks in Room 6, will be available January 2017. Other recent titles include Living Fossils: Clues to the Past, A Day and Night in the Rain Forest, A Polar Bear's World, A Panda's World, A Warmer World, Too Hot? Too Cold? and many more. Her most recent fiction books are Wiggle and Waggle, a collection of five stories for beginning readers, and The Terrible Hodag and the Animal Catchers, a tall tale. For a complete list of books and more go to www.carolinearnold.com.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781951836375
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Harry N. Abrams
Publication date
April 12, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF007020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Historical
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF025180 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | United States/State & Local
JNF051160 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Disasters
Library of Congress categories
Biographies
Picture books
Women
California
Earthquakes
San Francisco
Lighthouse keepers
Lighthouses
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 19
Women lighthouse keepers
Nichols, Juliet Fish

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