Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

delightful tale of found family and solving an amazing historical mystery of the sea - I plan to purchase it in hard cover - recommend

A good read... relatable story of a young girl who goes through changes and doubts and growing up. add to this a treasure hunt - a lovely time i had reading this one.

4/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Anna Rose Johnson for allowing me to read and review this book.

This was a sweet and inspiring middle grade book. Lucy, a French-Ojibwe orphan, is sent to live on a small island of Lake Superior with a rather large family of lighthouse keepers that she has never met. There is only one problem with this plan, Lucy is scared of the water. However, there is a plus side to this. The island is near a famous shipwreck that her father used to tell her about, one that has missing treasure.

Lucy goes back and forth between her fear of the water and wanting to find the missing treasure she has been thinking about her whole life, all while navigating a new family.

This is a sweet book about a found family, overcoming fears, and hunting for treasure. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a preteen or a new family member that may be struggling to find their place.

4 stars.

This was such a lovely read. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book. Lucy was such a nuanced protagonist. I love how flawed she is allowed to be, while still being someone that you are rooting for. She reminded me a lot of my younger self, where despite my best intentions, I would end up hurting more than helping at times. I enjoyed seeing her relationships with the Martin family develop. It was beautiful that Lucy and the Martins were Ojibwe and Lucy got to learn more about her heritage after being taken in by them.

I had a great with this book. It was a quick read and I love that there are young kids who will have access to this story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Selina Lucy Landry is orphaned when her father, a sailor, goes down with the ship on Lake Superior. Her guardian, Miss Mamie then passes away and Lucy is left to the Martin family - Henry Martin is a lighthouse keeper on a small island called Harmony Island, along with his wife and 6 children. Lucy is determined to make the best of things even though she's afraid of the water since her father's shipwreck. Among her meager possessions is a letter found in a bottle by her papa from the wreck of the Elva Jane, not far from Lucy's new home. The letter is proof that a treasured ruby necklace went down on the ship and Lucy is determined to find it for herself, and for her papa. Life with the Martins is rough as Lucy has no idea how to get along in a lighthouse and her flights of fancy and imagination get her in trouble more often than not. Soon Lucy has a chance to prove her worth to her new family and does so spectacularly.

Book Review: The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently had the pleasure of delving into the enchanting world of "The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry" by Anna Rose Johnson, and it was a delightful journey. This heartwarming middle-grade novel follows the spirited French-Ojibwe orphan, Lucy, as she finds herself amidst the stormy waters of Lake Superior, living with a mysterious family of lighthouse-keepers.

Lucy's story is one of resilience and hope, as she navigates her fears of the water and strives to find the legendary necklace her late father spent his life searching for. Johnson's writing style is captivating, drawing readers in with its well-paced narrative that keeps you eagerly turning the pages.

Set against the backdrop of a lighthouse on Lake Superior, the novel's setting is vividly depicted, immersing readers in the beauty and challenges of life by the lakeshore. The incorporation of Anishinaabemowin words and Mrs. Martin's dedication to preserving their native language adds a rich layer of cultural depth to the story, making it both educational and engaging.

One of the highlights of the book is Lucy herself - a spunky and determined protagonist whose journey of self-discovery is both relatable and inspiring. Her interactions with the Martin family, her struggles to fit in, and her quest for the treasure intertwine to create a tale that tugs at your heartstrings.

In many ways, "The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry" reminded me of a lighthouse-themed version of "Little House on the Prairie," with its wholesome charm and endearing characters. As a reader who appreciates the magic of middle-grade novels, I found myself thoroughly enchanted by Lucy's story, despite being well past my middle-grade years.

Overall, Anna Rose Johnson has crafted a touching and engaging tale that will appeal to readers of all ages. If you're looking for a book that combines adventure, heart, and a sprinkling of history, then don't miss out on "The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry." It's a gem of a read that shines bright with its message of courage, friendship, and the power of never giving up on your dreams.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

When you have precocious characters, usually their long tangents are cute and endear them to people. It was interesting to see the trope turned on its head. Every time the protagonist, Lucy decides to embellish her life or try too hard to endear herself to the people around her, she does actual damage!

This historical fiction is aimed at children and chooses an interesting time and place for it. It is 1912 and the location is an island that houses a lighthouse in Michigan. Lucy has just lost her last parental figure and she is taken in by people with a connection to her father. It’s the Native American connection that goes deeper. There is pride in the common ancestors with the people who are now her foster family.

Lucy has plans to complete something her father set out to do, something that seems frivolous to begin with. In the process she learns to grow up and be really courageous instead of fictionally so.


There were some parts of the story that were more appealing than others, but I liked the different aspects to a book that could have just focused on one thing to be more like other books in such settings. I even thought of the first famous five book by Enid Blyton at some point! The realistic parts of living in a remote location feel very real while the actual treasure hunt is a bit of a stretch. They work well together however and I would recommend this book to the younger audience if only to meet multilingual children of the 1900s struggling to keep up with their ancestral language that not many use.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Lucy is sent to live with a family of lighthouse keepers stationed on Lake Superior. The problem is that she has no interest in living on water when her father died in a shipwreck, possibly searching for a lost necklace that might not even be real. As she’s trying to fit in with the large, hard-working family she now lives live, she struggles to fit in with her daydreaming ways and fear of the water. Lucy wants to find the necklace to feel like her Papa is still around, but she quickly learns she isn’t the only person searching for it, and her search could put the Marin family she lives with out of their home.

This book manages to capture the cozy feeling of reading a book by L.M. Montgomery. Like Anne of Green Gables, Lucy of Lake Superior is a daydreamer who wants family but can get caught up in her own world and forget to pay attention to what is right in front of her. Lucy gets into trouble and isn’t always understood, but she manages to come out on top with her refusal to give up and kindness. Like Anne (and myself as a child), Lucy tries to deal with her fears and challenges through her imagination.

The Martins, in spite of the large number of them, are full of life and character. Lucy grows her relationship with each family member in different ways because they are individuals. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are absolute angel parents to their biological children and the child they take in, even when it is necessary to discipline them. The family is imperfect but good people, and the kind of family Lucy and readers happily want to belong to. Everyone has so much heart and spirit.

The book doesn’t remind me of L.M. Montgomery just because of the characters. The book has a sort of old-fashioned, friendly feel like in books I loved growing up like The Boxcar Children, The Five Little Peppers, Little House on the Prairie, and others that were considered older even when I was reading them. It’s a delight to find a similar book published today. Fans of those books or more recent books like The Penderwicks may enjoy this book.

The book also weaves in Ojibwe history and language naturally, as well as the history of Lake Superior. It’s not a major feature, but readers won’t be able to help learning a little bit about why lighthouses were used on the lake and about some indigenous history.

For me, one potential flaw of the book is its length. It’s short, so it doesn’t have as much time to develop Lucy’s relationship with the Martins or spend a lot of time helping Lucy get over her fears or anything else. There isn’t a lot of explanation, so you have to take everything at face value, which is mostly a flaw because Lucy herself doesn’t always know how to do that. The ending also maybe wraps up a little too nicely compared to a lot of stories today, but it fits well with the cozy, older style of books.

This is a sweet, charming story probably best for upper elementary school students or readers who want to feel a little bit like they did the first time they read about Anne Shirley.

I think this would be good for middle grade and younger readers! It has the same feelings as classic young readers authors like Kit Pearson, Judy Bloom and Jean Little.

Lucy Landry is an orphan and the book opens with the news that her current caregiver has passed and will need a new place to stay. Her guardian named a family who work a lighthouse on Lake Superior. Lucy grew up on a story of a lost necklace from a shipwreck in a cove that turns out to be near the lighthouse she's going to and she's convinced she will be the one to find the treasure. It's a lovely story of childhood dreams and wonder and building family with the people you're around.

From the very first page I was captivated by this story. 🤩

I absolutely loved Anne of Green Gables when I was younger and Lucy Landry reminded me so much of her! If I'd had this book then I would've cherished it. I'm sure it would have been an instant favorite.

Even though I'm older now I still adored this book! The characters... Oh my heart. 🥰 I loved the family dynamics and Lucy trying to fit into that. Ack!

It was perfect. 💖

I'm recommending it to everyone in sight so if you haven't read it... Do yourself a favor and get a copy. 🥰

*I received a complimentary copy from Net Galley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I can't quite decide if I like this book. I like the historical setting and the focus on non-white characters. I like that Lucy is a unique character, even if she's a bit odd and not always especially likeable. I like the minor mystery element folding in with her ultimate need to find a place to belong. I just don't know if the pieces fit together well. It feels a little disjointed and underdeveloped.

A touching story about a young girl finding a family to be apart of. This reminded me a lot of my favorite book as a child, Lily's Crossing, at the beginning - an imaginative girl thrust into a situation without her parents and learning how to be brave - so I was hooked at first. But as the story went on, it lost some of the magic.

Part of this was because it was too short, so the story felt rushed. I would have liked to have seen more scenes with Lucy and the different members of the Martin family so that we could experience the growing bond between them. Instead, Lucy makes a lot of mistakes and makes things more difficult for the Martins, only to be redeemed because she did a big, selfless act. More explanation of the lighthouse and what was at stake if they didn't keep things tidy and perfect would have been helpful too. We are told Mr. Martin could lose his job if the lighthouse and the house aren't in order - but there isn't any explanation about that or how the lighthouse works. So when the inspector shows up, there isn't a sense of danger except he is a little rude (and then has a very sudden change of heart at the end, again because of Lucy's one big selfless act).

I did like that this seamlessly interweaves Ojibwe characters and some history/language into the story without making it the central focus. That is definitely lacking in historical fiction.

Overall, I didn't feel the relationships growing and connecting, which was unfortunate. This could be a special little historical story about a young girl who has lost it all, finding her place and her family. But it just never came together.

This story brims with light, a passion for life, hope, love, friendship, and family. It was both charming and touching. The author balanced the serious topic of death well with making Lucy equally light-hearted.

This was a good Middle Grade novel, that was really well written!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Anna Rose Johnson's blog is titled Timeless and Vintage Stories and she continues that in her second book about a lighthouse in 1912 in Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan. Lucy is an orphan with a vivid imagination and loves to play characters. Remind you of another orphan character... redhead...Prince Edward Island? I love the setting of a lighthouse on a tiny island on Lake Superior, the large Martin family that takes in Lucy, and touches of Ojibway and Christian heritage. The mystery of the lost necklace is a bit coincidental but it is a middle-grade novel and I think kids would enjoy it.

Captivating and heart wrenching. A perfect book for middlegraders.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

This book was such a refreshing quick read. I hadn't read children's fiction in so long and forgot how much I love reading books like this.
I loved the historical accuracy in this book and bonus points for all the lighthouses! I personally love visiting lighthouses, just standing on the top of the tower watching over the sea. I imagine that's how Lucy was dreaming about her future and life in this book.
Lucy is such a beautiful well written character, I would love to see more of her in the future.

This was my first time reading a novel by Anna Rose Johnson and I'm obsessed! I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC to me in return for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

After Lucy's father dies in a shipwreck in 1912, leaving her an orphan, she is sent to live with the Martin family at an isolated lighthouse on a tiny island in the Great Lakes. Fearful of the water in light of her father's fate, Lucy has to overcome her nerves and learn to befriend her new family. Anna Rose Johnson has created a wonderful protagonist in Lucy, who alternates between shy self-doubt and telling fanciful stories about herself and her parents to boost herself up. The novel is full of charming turns of phrase and vivid descriptions that bring Lucy's world to life. A search for a lost gem moves the story forward, but the depth of Lucy's character development and shining prose truly make this book stand out. I will be using this in my classroom next year for a book study.

Reading this lovely book took me back to my early reading days with Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louisa May Alcott and to my early librarian days with the Dear America series. There was definitely that vibe around this. The story is fanciful and features the familiar trope of young child left alone after terrible tragedies who finds a new and fruitful life.

I found the main character appealing as she tried so hard to mask her fears and insecurities with imagination ("I am a Princess of Acadia!") The quest she set for herself in finding the lost necklace was a good element to move the story along, and the lighthouse setting was wonderful. The star here, though, is the family dynamic. The Martin family is big and loud but also loving and responsible. Readers will want to be a Martin!

There were many touchstones in this story for me (a 61 year old reader), and I hope this will appeal to middle grade readers looking for adventure. This could also spark some interest in Great Lakes history, especially those who live on the shores of those lakes.