Rhys Evans, the man Megan met on the train, reappears.
There is an early history between him and Aunt Rachel, made obvious by the bitter
tension between the two adults. This adds interest as it plays out and evolves
as a backstory.
Dylan, an over indulged boy who just wants to have
fun, gives Megan a chance to be happy. The care and attention Rachel shows
Megan builds the child’s confidence and allows her spirit freedom.
Staying with Aunt Rachel, Megan learns acceptance.
What she has always believed is now a certainty. Her mother is not interested
in her at all. Her entire focus is on her talented younger brother’s needs and
her expectations of him. As for Megan’s father, his indifference towards her is
painful even to the reader.
This acceptance nurtures Megan’s inquiring
character. She takes an interest in the old lighthouse and its many hidden
secrets. There is something magical and mysterious about it and the lighthouse
keeper, whose journals Megan is given access to. The strange pelican that visits her creates a
life-changing shift for a young girl who finally finds herself, and her place
in the world, in the strangest manner.
There are many sub-stories built into a storyline
that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. Terrific characters,
tension, and well-paced progress, added to lots of unexpected turn-offs through
the plot, kept me longing to know what the outcome will be. Then came the
completely unexpected ending!
Title: The Lighthouse at Pelican Rock
Author:
Stephen Hart
Illustrator:
Kathy Creamer
Publisher:
Eagle Books, $17.99
Publication
Date: 4 June 2018
Format:
Paperback
ISBN:
97801994528056
For
ages: 9 - 12
Type: Middle Fiction