Hello Lighthouse (Caldecott Medal Winner)

This immersive picture book invites readers into the circular world of a lighthouse keeper, where panoramic illustrations wrap around each page to create a complete sensory experience of life at sea. Through changing seasons and passing ships, we witness the keeper's solitary routines—polishing the lens, recording weather in his log, watching for whales—until his isolation is beautifully broken by the arrival of his wife. The rhythmic text mirrors the lighthouse's steady presence against crashing waves and swirling storms, making readers feel the constant pulse of the lamp through both calm and turbulent nights.

What makes this visual journey remarkable is how it transforms historical isolation into something deeply human and connected. Blackall's exquisite cross-section illustrations reveal the lighthouse's intimate interior life while emphasizing its smallness against the vast ocean, creating a powerful contrast that young readers will feel intuitively. The book quietly celebrates constancy and caretaking without ever becoming sentimental, showing how one person's dedicated work creates safety for countless unseen others. It's a masterclass in showing how ordinary lives contain extraordinary purpose, leaving readers with a lasting sense of wonder about the quiet guardians of our world.