Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards

In the words of author Helen Edwards, her second middle-grade novel 'Legend of the Lighthouse Moon is a work of magical historical fiction…set in a real time and place…containing elements of true history and fantasy.' The interweaving of fact and fiction allows this engaging and unique story to hold the attention of the reader from start to finish. The powerfully descriptive imagery of people, places and events transports you back to the 1970’s where Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia, is the perfect backdrop for a fascinating story about family, tragic loss, secrets, haunting legends, sea lions and selkies.  Added to this, we learn about Mona’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis. This is a gentle and thoughtful introduction to diabetes for those with little knowledge or understanding and the reader experiences Mona’s daily struggles and frustrations with her condition.

Now living on Kangaroo Island at Cape Willoughby, Mona and her younger brother Albert are cared for by their maternal grandparents after a terrible tragedy befell the family. Five long years have passed and Mona is still angry and hurt by the fact that her father is missing after trying to save her mother from the fire. Helping her grandparents keep the lighthouse functioning as well as cater for tourists, allows Mona and Albert an amazing amount of freedom to explore and connect with their surroundings. During a time spent wandering on her own, Mona befriends a young sea lion pup. This friendship leads to an incredible journey of discovery about Mona’s parents and about Mona herself. Secrets and legends are unravelled and the broken family begins to heal.

The research behind this story is astonishing and references to the past are enthralling. Those adult readers who remember the 70’s will be reminded of some great iconic moments. Younger readers will love the sense of adventure, mystery and danger that Mona and Albert face. The clever use of lyrical verse spread throughout the narrative adds another dimension to the storytelling and the addition of comparisons of people to local bird life provides an extra layer of interest and a hook for further research and discussion.

This wondrous story will be a welcome addition to all libraries and would make a fabulous class novel for middle primary readers.

Themes: Historical Fiction, Kangaroo Island, Family, Loss, Diabetes, Secrets, Legends, Selkies, Sea Lions, Lighthouses, Mystery, Magic.

Kathryn Beilby