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Kate's Light: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse
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About Kate's Light: Kate Walker At Robbins Reef Lighthouse
Product Description The heroic true story of one of the Eastern seaboard's first woman lighthouse keepers, illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist. Living in the isolated Robbins Reef Lighthouse, overlooking turn-of-the-century New York Harbor, Kate Walker spent her life minding the light, keeping passing ships from running aground on the dangerous shoals. Originally the assistant to her lighthouse keeper husband John Walker, after his death Kate convinced the Lighthouse Board that she was able to manage the hard work on her own. For more than three decades, Kate lived a solitary life, often totally isolated from the mainland by rough seas and dangerous storms. Tending to the lamps and ringing the heavy warning bell, she helped ships avert disaster-- and saved many sailors from the cold, choppy waters when disaster struck. Elizabeth Spires describes the joys and hardships of a life at sea, detailing pivotal moments in Walker's life to show her indomitable spirit, and celebrates the determination that drove Kate to keep her home and her livelihood. Paired with Emily Arnold McCully's atmospheric, vivid watercolor-and-ink illustrations of lonely lighthouses, sun-dappled afternoons, and wrathful storms, this gripping picture book brings turn of the century New York to life. Additional material in the back of the book includes a biographical note about Kate Walker, historical photographs of Kate and her home at Robbins Reef Lighthouse, reproductions of an historical map of New York Harbor, and a list of sources for more information. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year A CCBC Choice From School Library Journal Gr 3–8—A new entry in the canon of inspiring biographies about strong women. A widowed German immigrant with one child, Kate Kaird came to America knowing very little English. In America, she met and married John Walker, the keeper of the Robbins Reef Lighthouse. Shortly after their marriage, the family of three moved into the lighthouse, and Kate took on the job of lighthouse assistant keeper. Being a lighthouse keeper was an around-the-clock job with no modern amenities. One winter, John caught pneumonia and had to be rowed inland, where he later died. Kate, her son, and her young daughter were told to vacate the lighthouse so a new keeper could move in. Kate petitioned to stay on as a temporary keeper until a new replacement could be found; she stayed on until her retirement decades later. Gorgeously realistic illustrations in watercolor, pen, and ink are offset by no more than four spare sentences on any given page. Details throughout the story will fascinate readers. VERDICT Such a sturdy, moving story, this is a first purchase for all libraries.—Tracy Cronce Review ★ "A new entry in the canon of inspiring biographies about strong women. . . . Gorgeously realistic illustrations in watercolor, pen, and ink are offset by no more than four spare sentences on any given page. Details throughout the story will fascinate readers."—School Library Journal, Starred Review "Kate's Light is an unusual true story compellingly told."—BookPage "Caldecott Medalist McCully's vivid ink and watercolor spreads bring to life the storms and waves that made Walker's work necessary, and brim with visual information . . . An intrepid heroine in a lonely place, Walker had grit that makes for gripping reading."—Publishers Weekly "Spires shows Walker as a quiet heroine meeting challenges calmly and efficiently. McCully's hallmark watercolors support this focus, whether depicting the cramped conditions on Robins Reef, the pattern of life at the lighthouse, Kate braving dangerous weather, and two spectacular seascapes." —The Horn Book "In Spires' spirited telling, Kate Walker's professional achievement is less a tale of ambitiously upending gender expectations and more a demonstration of persistently demanding recognition of and remuneration for hard-earned skills. McCully's watercolor illustrat
