In 1882, Kate Walker, a 34-year-old white widow, emigrated from Germany to the United States with her young son. She married John Walker, a lighthouse keeper, and in 1885 the new family was posted to Robbins Reef Lighthouse in New York Bay. Kate remained there until she was 71, first working in the job of assistant keeper and, after John’s death, as temporary keeper for four years, and then as permanent keeper. The routine of daily chores, such as refilling the lamp with kerosene and keeping detailed records, is occasionally broken with the drama of storms and rescues. Although at first uncertain about a lighthouse keeper’s life of isolation, Kate grew to relish the setting and performed the job with competence, gaining a reputation for her rescues. Watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations show her doing it all, from climbing the outdoor ladder from a small boat to the lighthouse entry, to rowing out in a storm in a floor-length dress and apron (also shown in a photo in a final note). (Ages 4-8)