Lucretia Sanderson and her mom step onto Candle Island, ready to leave behind their grief. But the island is full of mystery and secrets. And uncovering those secrets would be easier if Lucretia wasn’t carrying a secret of her own.
Lucretia Sanderson and her mom step onto Candle Island, ready to leave behind their grief. But the island is full of mystery and secrets. And uncovering those secrets would be easier if Lucretia wasn’t carrying a secret of her own.
After a car accident takes her father, Lucretia and her mom pack up and move to a farm they purchased on Candle Island, sight unseen. They hope to work through their grief in the peaceful fishing community and leave behind the chaos of reporters trying to get an interview with Lucretia’s mother, the famous artist of the Sanderson paintings.
However, they find the island is filled with tension. The year-round islanders and the rich families who summer on the island rarely get along, and trouble keeps popping up because of it. Lucretia does her best to leave it all behind. While her mom paints, she cares for an orphaned osprey chick, rides her horse, learns to navigate the waters around the island and does some painting of her own.
As the summer wears on, Lucretia comes to know a boy named Bastian and his cousin, Murdock. Lucretia would like to make new friends, but she realizes that might be difficult when she lives in the house owned by Murdock’s late parents.
And then there are the island’s many secrets. As tensions on the island rise, Lucretia tries to unravel Candle Island’s mysteries.
Lucretia is named after a Quaker. A church and a priest are mentioned.
Lucretia thanks the fish she cleans for its life. Destiny is mentioned. The “chain of being” is discussed.
Lucretia’s mom is protective, but she lets Lucretia have some freedom. Both of Lucretia’s parents tried to shield her from those who would hinder her art and creativity. Law enforcement officers are fair and do their jobs well.
Lucretia’s dad died in car accident. Murdock’s dad died by drowning. Murdock’s mom died from a heart condition.
When Lucretia would try to save dying baby animals, her father discouraged her. Better to let nature take its course, he believed. Lucretia kills and cleans a fish, and the cleaning is detailed. She imagines eagle chicks ripping apart dead animals. Lucretia blocks an eagle from killing the osprey chick she saved and gets cuts on her back in the process. Fish blood is mentioned.
Someone sets the old wharf on fire. Someone mistreats a horse by packing its ears with burrs.
Someone steals a painting that Lucretia created. Lucretia calls Caroline and her friends “creeps.”
None.
Do you like talking and being friends with people who are different than you? Why or why not?
Read Colossians 4:5. Are there groups of people you treat or think poorly of? How should you interact with or think about them?
Have you ever felt betrayed by a friend? What did you do in that situation? Do you think you should have done anything differently?
Lauren Wolk paints a relatable story of trying to fit in and adjust to a new home and place. Though the book is filled with drama, and kid and adult characters can seem somewhat indistinguishable, the mystery and setting give the book a charm many readers will enjoy.
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Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not necessarily their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.
Rachel Pfeiffer serves as Editor of Focus on the Family Clubhouse magazine, where she acquires and crafts stories to entertain and disciple children. She graduated from Taylor University with a degree in professional writing and Moody Theological Seminary with an MA in Biblical Studies. When she’s not curled up with a good book, she can often be found hiking the beautiful Colorado Rockies.
