A light on the rocks by Helen Edwards

“I’m not too sure about ghosts”, Mum said, “but I do believe that places can hold the stories of those who have been there before.” p215

 A Light on the Rocks is a middle grade novel set in two different centuries that delves into a true event which took place in South Australia in 1859 when the passenger steamer SS Admella, travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne, struck a reef near Cape Banks off the coast of Carpenter Rocks located near Mount Gambier. Many passengers did not survive.

Main character Daisy, a particularly likeable character, is passionate about botany, but suffers from insecurities, especially about the journey her family is taking on the Admella. Through the terrible hardships experienced on the shipwrecked boat, Daisy proves to have the fortitude to survive the ordeal.

One hundred years later in 1959, Max and his sister Rosemary are preparing to stay at the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse with their dad, who is one of the lighthouse keepers. Max is a sensitive boy, in tune with nature and animals, and is often the target of bullies at school. Max struggles to read and is taunted relentlessly for this. Being at the lighthouse is a place of tranquillity and a safe haven for Max and it is there that he first connects with the ghostly images of Jupiter, a racehorse that drowned in 1859, and a young deckhand who also lost his life. After an accident leaving his father hurt, Max has to trust in his ability to keep the lighthouse functioning and with support from Rosemary and the ghosts from the past, Max learns to believe in himself.

The main characters in this narrative are children who exhibit all the attributes of their age, often with some of their own quirky and individual traits, but who show extreme courage under pressure.

Author Helen Edwards has once again used her incredible skill in meticulous research to provide young primary school age readers with an absorbing adventure where fact and fiction are cleverly woven through the pages. The stories of the SS Admella and the Lighthouse at Cape Jaffa are ones that may not be familiar to adult readers either but are certainly worthy of further research. The use of short paragraphs and personal thoughts in italics add to the readability of the text, especially for those children who struggle with large chunks of words.

A thoroughly engaging read that would make an excellent class novel for Year 4/5 students.

Teacher notes available at  Australian Author - Dr Helen Edwards Writes

Themes: Cape Jaffa Lighthouse, Family, Magical Historical Fiction, Adventure, Facts, Shipwrecks, Danger, Tragedy, Death, Blue Pygmy Whales, Ghosts, Courage, Self-belief, South Australia.

Kathryn Beilby