For the Child Who Feels Everything: Sensitivity, PEI, and The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane

 

Were you a child who felt everything deeply? Or do you have one of those children in your family now? I was—and still am. As a child, hearing bad news often felt like it were happening to me. And I have a son the same way. We walked out of many cartoons near the climactic point. It was just too much.  

At first, I was excited about Erin Stewart’s The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane because of the setting—Prince Edward Island—one of my favorite places to read about. But I ended up falling in love with Lucy, who reminded me a lot of my younger self.

If you love Prince Edward Island, gentle mysteries, and stories about children learning to live with big feelings, this is a lovely choice.

 

A Little About the Story

Sixth grader Lucy thinks people are seriously overrated. People come with feelings, and Lucy can’t escape them because of her so-called “gift” of empathy. She can feel the tension when her parents fight and can’t escape the truth of what went wrong in her relationship with her former best friend. So when Lucy’s parents suggest spending her summer vacation with her reclusive grandfather at his isolated cabin on Prince Edward Island, she jumps at the chance to get away from people, feelings—all of it.

Lucy arrives at her grandfather’s with a small suitcase and the only thing she really needs: her camera. From behind the lens, she can watch the world without having to feel any of it. While exploring her new home, Lucy finds her grandmother’s old camera and a darkroom that hasn’t been used since Nana passed away five years ago. Lucy starts taking pictures of the people in her grandfather’s town and developing photos the old-fashioned way.

The finished photos reveal everything about the subjects—their deepest fears and hidden desires. Along with a quirky neighbor and her reluctant grandfather, Lucy sets out to get to the bottom of the photographic magic. But can she uncover the truth of her grandmother’s legacy and figure out what to do with the magical photos before summer ends?

 

Why This Story Stays With Me:

1. A character I could relate to. Like Lucy, I’ve always felt things deeply—and sometimes wondered why I couldn’t simply handle things the way everyone else seemed to. But Lucy learns about being an empath, a person who feels others' feelings like they're her own. And as she learns to pause when she gets big feelings, she starts to see that empathy might be a strength after all.

2.  Magical realism tied to family history.  The fantasy elements in this story are very light, just Lucy seeing things in her photos that no one else sees. But I loved how this unexpected insight was tied to the camera that belonged to her grandmother, who also felt deeply and cared for others.

3. An unforgettable sidekick! Lucy doesn’t want to make friends, but Poppy (short for Penelope Anne Montgomery) refuses to give up. I loved Poppy’s exuberance and fierce loyalty, and her story is just as interesting as Lucy’s.

4. The setting! Those who read my blog (or follow me on Instagram) know what a huge Montgomery fan I am. PEI was described beautifully—from the red soil, the sunsets, and the fact that everyone knows everyone. I was not surprised to learn that the author traveled to PEI for research. By the end, I felt as if I’d visited the island myself.

5. Realistic family dynamics. Lucy’s family is not perfect. Her grandpa is a little bristly at first, and Mom is often too helpful, but I loved how both Lucy and her family grow to understand each other better by the end. 

  

Reading guide

Reading Level: Approximately Grade 3-8. The story will likely appeal most to upper-elementary and middle-grade readers because of its themes of empathy, big feelings, family relationships, grief, and friendship. 

This would pair beautifully with Anne of Green Gables, whose heroine is also known for her big feelings. It could lead naturally into conversations about small acts of kindness, as well as the history of photography and cameras.

Content Notes: An animal dies off-page, which might be upsetting to sensitive readers. Abuse and neglect are mentioned briefly in a character’s past.

Possible discussion questions: 

How does Lucy’s understanding of her gift change?

What is the difference between noticing someone’s feelings and taking responsibility for them?

How do photographs help reveal the truth in the story?

Max, the Reading Dog

 

 

 

 

 

Max’s take (out of a 5 bone scale)

 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

Copper is a rescue, like me! And he was such a friend to Lucy right from the start. I can sense my people’s feelings just like he does.

 

 

 

Notes from the Front Porch:

Are you an empath, or do you have one in your family? What book has transported you to another time or place lately?

Check out other fabulous middle grades at Always in the Middle!  

 

  

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