Diary entries from January 1855 to January 1856 document a year in the life of a fictional girl based on a composite of the may true-life female lighthouse keepers. The family's move to a new lighthouse island, the departure of her older brother, Nate, and increasing responsibilities for ten-year-old Birdie are the highlights of her year. Exquisite pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations enliven an already adventurous tale, bound in a 6 1/4 x 11 1/2" volume that resembles, appropriately, a lighthouse. (Ages 7-10)