The Light at Tern Rock
Recommended. Age: 8+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
Ronnie and his Aunt Martha look after a lighthouse while the keeper takes a trip. The keeper does not come back when he promised, so they are stuck there for Christmas, and Ronnie gets very angry. On Christmas Eve he sees the lighthouse light as a candle for the Christ Child and is happy to stay. It is a quiet Christmas story about patience and a clean heart, and a parent only needs to talk about the keeper's trick. Age 8+, set by the 8-12 listing at Classical Education Books.
For parents
Age 8+, set by the 8-12 listing at Classical Education Books; no Common Sense Media review or Catholic list was found. Read it aloud from about 6. Two things to discuss. The keeper breaks his promise and, per SuperSummary, admits in a letter that he played a mean trick so he could spend Christmas with his niece's family. Name that as wrong, and note that Aunt Martha urges patience and says people break promises for reasons that are not always cruel. Ronnie also rages and has tantrums (SuperSummary), and wants to fire the cannon, which Martha forbids because it is only for emergencies. Aunt Martha is a widow. Ask how Ronnie changed by Christmas Eve.