'The Puffin Keeper' is a beautifully illustrated book with a story that is appropriate for all ages. This one will make for a great family read aloud.

In 1926, Benjamin Postlethwaite looks after the lighthouse on Puffin Island. He takes his job very seriously. One day, he sees a ship in distress and goes to save the people on board. He rescues young Allen and his mother. Allen becomes Benjamin’s friend for life, bonding over painting and rescuing a puffin.

This is a beautiful story. I love puffins. I saw some on my trip to Newfoundland for the first time a couple of years ago, and I was shocked to see how tiny they were. They’re amazing little birds. Ironically, the island in this story didn’t have puffins on them anymore, until Ben and Allen healed one that kept returning to the island.

The story was beautiful as well as the illustrations. Ben and Allen loved to paint and used paintings to communicate. Ships and the sea were Allen’s favourite things to paint. The gorgeous puffins were in many of the illustrations as well.

The Puffin Keeper is a beautiful book and story.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book and the way that the pictures and the story fit together so well. The story was really sweet and I enjoyed it a lot. The illustrations were perfect and I totally recommend this book to you.

Stellar illustrations are the real star of this book, but the story also strikes a lovely chord. It is definitely a bit of an older picture book, but those have their place and the illustrations help make this engaging for many types of readers.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. What a lovely book. Interesting, and the graphics are great as well. A lighthouse keeper saves a ships passengers and develops a lifelong relationship with one of those passengers. Ben (lighthouse keeper) and Allen become friends, and together help a Puffin that was hurt. I know that this is a children's book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as well. 4 stars

What a lovely story. The Puffin Keeper by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Benji Davies is a coming-of-age story about Allen Williams, who along with his Mother and others sailing from New York find themselves shipwrecked near the shores of Puffin Island in the Scilly Isles off the Cornish Coast. The Lighthouse Keeper Benjamin Postlewaite risks his life and saves everyone on board. While they wait out the storm in his Lighthouse, five-year-old Allen is impressed by Benjamin’s artwork. When Allen and his family leave, Benjamin gives Allen one of his paintings, a kindness, Allen does not forget. After moving in with his Grandparents in Dartmoor, Allen writes to Benjamin, but does not hear back. As Allen grows, he does not forget about Benjamin. While at boarding school, Allen finds that he has a knack for painting. After school, Allen sets out and finds Benjamin is still living on Puffin Island even though there haven’t been any Puffins for years. When he arrives, he stays with Benjamin who has found a baby Puffin that he plans to nurse back to health. Allen finds out the reason Benjamin has not responded to his letters and decides to stay to help and the Puffin. Allen ends up leaving when he is called to fight in the Great War where luck was on his side again. Returning home, he decides he would like to paint and write and returns to Puffin Island. When he arrives, he is met by Benjamin and…Puffins! While Allen was gone, the Puffins returned to the island thanks to the Puffin that was saved by the Puffin Keeper. The dedication of this book to the founder of Penguin Books and the legacy of literacy with Puffin books really makes this touching story even more meaningful. At its heart, this is a story about acts of kindness and perseverance that would be perfect for readers of any age. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Michael Morpurgo became known to so many through the book and play editions of War Horse. But, Mr. Murpurgo is not a one trick pony. He has written many other books for children, of which this is the latest.

The illustrations and story work so well together here. The tale is simply and beautifully told while the pictures are most gorgeous and engaging.

Early in the book, readers meet Benjamin Postelwhaite, lighthouse keeper of Puffin Island (near the Scilly Isles). One night, his light isn’t enough to help a ship. Benjamin ventures out in his small boat when he sees the situation and saves thirty (!) people, including the story’s narrator, Allen Williams. After the rescue, Benjamin was kind to Allen and gave him one of his artworks. Allen always treasured and kept this painting with him.

Readers learn about where Allen and his mother were going that night and how they subsequently fared. There were clearly challenges for Allen and his mother. Still, he always remembered Benjamin. Will they meet again? Adults and children both will enjoy finding out the answer to this question.

I so highly recommend this chapter book. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for it. All opinions are my own.

PS The author thought about Penguin and Puffin books when writing this story.

A heartwarming story about a boy rescued from a shipwreck, a lighthouse keeper, a puffin and a life long friendship.

Based on the story of the founder of Puffin Publishing, this story follows a young boy as he survives a shipwreck, a boarding school and a prisoner of war camp. After finishing school, Allan goes to stay with the lighthouse keeper on Puffin Island. Together, they save an injured and abandoned puffin, learn how to read and paint and forage a life long friendship.

The story, told in Micheal Morpurgo's classic style, was not as well written as his previous works, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Like many of his other books, it's set primarily during the 2nd World War, making the setting easily accessible to those familiar with his work. Marketed as a middle grade, I feel as though younger audiences would enjoy it more, but it's the perfect read for a winters day.

Overall The Puffin Keeper was a 3 stars and I would recommend it to those looking for a short, easy to read book, especially younger readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this to review in advance. All opinions are my own.

My third Morpurgo read and one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. I’m a huge lover of the sea and ships, so that aspect of the book appealed to me. I’m also a WWII enthusiast, so the slight reference to WWII near the end pulled me in even more. The illustrations are just gorgeous — Benji Davies has done a fabulous job!

The book length, stunning illustrations, and beautiful use of language make The Puffin Keeper an excellent choice for a classroom read aloud! Additionally, the captivating story and rich themes will appeal to a wide variety of ages and interests. This story pulled me in from page one! I look forward to book talking it in the near future!

The narrator, Alan, is rescued, along with his mother, and the other passengers on a boat that was sinking. The keeper of the light house saves all of them, but says he only did it because it was the right thing to do, and so doesn't want no stinking medal.

Alan writes to him, but never hears back, and continues with his life, until, when he is fully grown, he goes off in search of the man who saved his life.

The island the light house is on, is called Puffin Island, but there are no puffins there, until, the day Alan arrives at the light house.

Sweet story of the love of animals and the love of the land.


<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

I loved this story! Allen and Ben's friendship is just beautiful. I love that this story covers so many different topics, heroism, war, death, love, and friendship. The illustrations were beautiful and I didn't want the story to end.

ARC Copy...I personally think that could have gone for a bit longer but the illustrations look gorgeous and it is a good slice of the trials and joys of that area and time period.