Featherlight by Peter Bunzl

Synopsis

Deryn s father is the lighthouse keeper on Featherstone Island, keeping the lantern lit to protect passing boats from the treacherous rocky coastline. But when an emergency arises and her parents have to travel to the mainland for help, Deryn is left alone to keep watch over the lighthouse, and she finds herself in a terrible situation when the lamp runs out of oil during a wild storm.

With a fishing boat in peril on the sea, and time running out to rescue those on board, Deryn seeks help from an unusual source. Will she be able to keep the lantern lit through the dark, dangerous night?

Review

I had this Featherlight on pre-order and I was really excited to receive it in the post. Published by Barrington Stoke, a publisher who produce super readable books for dyslexic and reluctant readers. The font size is larger than usual and very visually pleasing. There is ample spacing between paragraphs and beautiful black and white illustrations placed throughout the book. I really enjoyed the smooth yellow pages which provide a pleasant read. This is the first Barrington Stoke book I have read, although I have seen them at my local library. Having read this book, I am now really interested to discover other books published by Barrington Stoke.

This story takes place on Featherstone Island where we meet our protagonist Deryn. Deryn is entrusted to look after her families lighthouse, and I was amazed at her resilience! I really enjoyed reading about all the tasks she had to perform and could visualise the lighthouse entirely. The story has a magical twist which I didn’t see coming, and it was really beautiful. I loved all the illustrations which helped me visualise Deryn’s surroundings.

I was fully captured by this book and read it all in one sitting, I actually didn’t want to put it down! I could practically hear the wind and rain during the storm and I was carried away on Deryn’s adventure. I enjoyed the first person narrative which very much appealed to me.

I thoroughly recommend this immersive story. Peter Bunzl fans are sure to love it, along with readers of Barrington Stoke books. 

ISBN: 978178129180

Publisher: Barrington Stoke

Date of Publishing: 1st April 2021