This book, aimed at readers aged 9-12, was recommended to me by a friend. I'd not heard of it but it was nominated for the Carnegie Prize in 2020. Written by a Dutch author, it was the first time a book in translation had been considered.

There's a real nostalgic charm about the style of the book, full of myth and magic. 

Lampie is the lighthouse keeper's daughter and every night she has to help her father in lighting a lantern to warn ships away from the rocks. But one night she runs out of matches and the light isn't lit. Ships are caught in a storm, disaster strikes, and both father and daughter are punished. 

While Lampie's father is locked in the lighthouse, she is sent to work as a maid at the Admiral's Black House, where it's said there is a monster in the tower.

So begins a fairytale adventure with mermaids and pirates, mysterious creatures and a quest for friendship, freedom and the right to be different. I loved it!