The Lonely Lighthouse: The Story of Little Sable Point Lighthouse

The Little Sable Point Lighthouse in Mears, Michigan, shares its story, beginning with its construction in 1874, throughout its years of service and the events it has witnessed.

Brick by brick, a lighthouse begins to rise high into the sky beside a shimmering lake. Nestled among the sand dunes near Mears, Michigan, the new lighthouse stands 115 feet tall. The lighthouse is eager to share its light with the ships sailing on Lake Michigan. But first it needs a keeper to light its oil lamp, to ignite its spark. Soon a keeper comes along. The lighthouse and its keeper settle into a daily routine. The keeper sweeps away the sand that sifts in. He cleans the windows. And every night, the keeper climbs to the top of the lighthouse to light the oil lamp, sharing its light with the ships sailing on the lake. When the keeper can't continue his duties, a new keeper arrives. And then another and another as the years go by.

But one day, workers come to take away the oil lamp and install an electric light. There is no need for a keeper anymore. The lighthouse is left alone and lonely. Will anyone ever share its spark again? Told from the perspective of the lighthouse, the story of Little Sable Point Lighthouse, the oldest remaining brick lighthouse on the Great Lakes, comes to life.

Stephanie Owen grew up in Illinois and spent her summers in Michigan. After college, she taught at the elementary and middle school level. Stephanie currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. She is a high school English teacher. This is her first picture book. Her other work includes Living in the True Spirit of Christmas.

Sona Avedikian earned her BFA in illustration from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, with a focus on children’s illustration. She loves drawing magic, adventure, and nonfiction. When she’s not illustrating at home, you can probably spot her in the back of a library. She lives in Farmington Hills, Michigan.