Kate's Light: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse

Written by Elizabeth Spires

Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

Holiday House.2021. Biography

Kate Kaird, an immigrant who left Germany in 1882 moved to America with her young son Jacob and eventually became one of the first lighthouse keepers on the Eastern Seaboard. Her journey began when she met and married John Walker and they moved to Robbins Reef lighthouse in New York harbor. Her husband was given the job as lighthouse keeper and she became the assistant keeper. At first she hated the lighthouse and she wasn't sure she could live in such a lonely place but she eventually adapted and learned to love the peace and quiet of the lighthouse. When her husband died she convinced the lighthouse board to let her stay on until a man could be hired. Four years later she was hired as permanent keeper making her one of the first women to be put in charge of a lighthouse. Kate took care of the lighthouse and lived there for 33 years and rescued more than fifty people.

I love lighthouses and I'm fascinated with the stories of lighthouse keepers. The gorgeous watercolor and ink illustrations really capture the beauty of the water and sky and create beautiful scenes full of color and expression. I also enjoyed reading the additional information at the end about Kate. This is a very distinctive book that highlights an unknown heroine who continued to "mind the light" something her husband encouraged her to do. A great book to read during Women's History Month.

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