Review: The Light Keeper
The Light Keeper by Karen Levine and Sheila Baslaw, illustrated by Alice Priestly Second Story Press, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Judy Ehrenstein Buy at Bookshop.org Shmuel’s family is poor and work is hard to find in their shtetl. Mama frets about feeding her six children and Papa searches for work to earn a few kopecks. Shmuel wishes he could help and is willing to do anything – except patching holes in the roof, as he is afraid of heights. It is into this setting that a cart arrives one day, with news that the men are there to bring electricity to the shtetl! Shmuel watches every moment he can, until the day the lights are turned on. Upon packing up, one of the workers shows Shmuel the boxes being left for repairs. One day the mayor appears at the door, pleading with Shmuel to repair the lights from recent storm damage. It is time to face his fear of heights. Hand over hand, Shmuel climbs to the top of a light pole and does what is needed. Thanks roll in, with gifts of f