Life is rarely straightforward. It has its ups and downs, highs and lows, and occasionally we could all do with a helping hand whether it comes in the form of advice or practical help. Every now and then all it takes is a caring attitude and something simple to guide our way and help us navigate those uncertain moments. With helpful encouragement or a helping hand, it can put us on the right path and it can make all the difference. J. W. Lantern’s The Little Lantern Keeper is an original bedtime story that explores these themes in a simple but heartwarming way. Young readers will be able to takeaway that even the smallest light can have a big influence, and even have unexpected larger outcomes.
The Little Lantern Keeper is an original bedtime story for 2-5 year olds, written by J. W. Lantern. At the heart of the story is a young moth that wants to light up the whole sky. Grandpa Moth, is encouraged by the young moth’s enthusiasm and gives him a lantern, no bigger than a plum. The young moth thinks the lantern is too small and not up to the job but takes the lantern. With the aid of the little lantern, the young moth helps a beetle finds its scarf, helps an afraid young duckling to cross the bridge and helps Grandad find his way home. All small helpful tasks that don’t light up the sky, but certainly light up everyone’s lives. And it all leads to something much bigger.
Overall, J. W. Lantern’s The Little Lantern Keeper is the first story in The Little Lantern Keeper series and is a wonderful bedtime story with an excellent message around kindness, helping others and dreaming big. It’s a story that is told using a little moth called Pip as the main character, supported by a beetle and a duckling, which young readers will enjoy shared reading with.
Pip dreams of lighting up the whole sky but her grandpa gets her to start small with a small lantern. The lantern may be small but it symbolises kindness, hope, guidance, finding your way, helping others and the positive impact that one individual can have on others.
I love that the story starts with a little moth dreaming big, but with her big heart and helping others its greatest strength is the way it gets the message across about helping others which in turn can effect change on a larger scale. It does it in such a gentle way that young readers will be able to see that no matter how small something is, it can have a massive influence on your local community and even the world.
The illustrations portray what is happening within the story very well, although they are AI-created, and complement the narrative beautifully, giving the story a cosy feel.
I really enjoyed the story. I think that The Little Lantern Keeper is a beautiful thoughtful story with an inspiring, heartwarming message and life lesson. Written with a gentle warmth, it has a powerful message about kindness and helping others. A charming little book that reminds us all that sometimes the light that shines brightest isn’t the biggest one, but is often one that is off most help and one that can a massive impact.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £9.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit pipslantern.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
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