Amazon Editors recommend this book for children primarily reading independently and transitioning to longer books. In an old lighthouse, where a twenty-four-candle lantern lights a sparkling blue-green sea, dwell a solitary keeper and his little companion -- a cat called Mackerel. Together the two climb up, up, up to watch over the nighttime sea and down, down, down to eat and play. On one stormy night, the quick rush of a fierce wind darkens every candle. Soon an errant fishing boat, lost in the raging black sea, signals distress. Sure enough, it is the sudden glow of twenty-four flashing yellow lights that guide the boat away from danger. Just what could those new lights be? Grade 1-4–This beautifully illustrated tale is set in the past, when a lighthouse was lit with a 24-candle lantern and the keeper was responsible for trimming the wicks every half hour. Using descriptive language, Stainton tells how a lonely keeper discovers a stray cat on board the supply boat and decides to keep him. Mackerel proves to be the perfect companion for the man, helping him to watch for boats and providing company at night. When a terrible storm knocks out the lantern and the keeper is unable to re-light it, Mackerel prevents a shipwreck by summoning 11 of his feline friends; they wait for the clouds to clear and then light up the area by having the moon reflect in their eyes. The illustrations are impressive. Full-page paintings are framed by ocean-blue backgrounds, while each page of text sports a circular vignette. A border of waves decorates the bottom of each spread. When the storm hits, the waves become dark and sinister looking. The close-up renderings of the gray-coated, green-eyed cat are especially appealing. This is a great book for children to read for personal enjoyment and for teachers to share as part of a history lesson. –Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. PreS-Gr. 1. After delving into the history of an old English lighthouse, Stainton was inspired to pen this affecting story. It tells of a lighthouse keeper whose solitary existence is disrupted when a cat turns up among the potatoes and onions in his weekly supply delivery. The cat, which he names Mackerel, earns his keep when the lighthouse's enormous 24-candle lantern is blown out by a particularly fierce storm. Mackerel leaps into action, caterwauling to alert other cats in the fishing village below. The 12 cats assemble at the top of the lighthouse, 24 glowing eyes taking the place of the extinguished candles. Though slow to start, the tale builds to a bracing climax that is sure to leave children wide-eyed and breathless. Mortimer has illustrated numerous children's books about cats, including a previous collaboration with Stainton, Santa's Snow Cats (2001). Like Stainton's text, the artwork is warm and full of wonderful detail. Terry Glover Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “This is a great book for children to read…and for teachers to share as part of a history lesson.” - School Library Journal In an old lighthouse, where a twenty-four-candle lantern lights a sparkling blue-green sea, dwell a solitary keeper and his little companion -- a cat called Mackerel. Together the two climb up, up, up to watch over the nighttime sea and down, down, down to eat and play. On one stormy night, the quick rush of a fierce wind darkens every candle. Soon an errant fishing boat, lost in the raging black sea, signals distress. Sure enough, it is the sudden glow of twenty-four flashing yellow lights that guide the boat away from danger. Just what could those new lights be? Sue Stainton is an art director and lives with her husband and three boys in southwest England. She is the author of many books for children, including I Love Dogs! ; the bestselling Santa’s Snow Cat , The Lighthouse Cat , and The Chocolate Cat , all illustrated by Anne Mortimer; and Christmas Magic , illustrated by Eva Melhuish. Anne Mortimer is the author and illustrator of Bunny's Easter Egg and Pumpkin Cat . She has illustrated many other children's books, including Santa's Snow Cat by Sue Stainton, A Pussycat's Christmas by Margaret Wise Brown, and The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear. She lives in southwest England.