The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane

Luminous first-person narration by Stewart (The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner) relays an introspective slice-of-life tale that forefronts connection and the lessons to be learned about friendship, family, and oneself when approaching relationships with an open heart and mind. Following an emotional meltdown while on a school trip to the aquarium, 12-year-old Lucy Sinclair’s parents send her from New York to Prince Edward Island, hoping a summer spent at her grandfather’s house will lift her spirits. Lucy worries, however, that the visit is meant to give her parents a break from Lucy and her “big feelings.” To her chagrin, life on the island proves more peaceful than back home in the city, particularly due to the smaller population. But a budding friendship with Poppy Anne Montgomery—a local kid descended from the author of Anne of Green Gables—forces Lucy to confront her feelings about an estranged relationship, as well as simmering emotions stemming from her grandfather’s reticence to talk about his late wife, her grandmother. When Grandpa gives Lucy her grandma’s old film camera, though, the object becomes a lifeline toward processing and communicating her emotions and cultivating a better understanding of each other. Gentle, lightly magical storytelling earnestly presents Lucy’s struggles with managing overwhelming feelings and her subsequent attempts to dismantle her persistent belief that the fallout of others’ reactions is hers to shoulder. Main characters are white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Feb.)