Candle Island

A moving portrait of loss and the restorative power of art from Lauren Wolk, the Newbery Honor-winning author of Beyond the Bright Sea.

Lucretia Sanderson has a secret.

Lucretia and her mother have come to tiny Candle Island, Maine (Population: Summer, 986; Winter, 315) to escape--escape memories of the car accident that killed her father and escape the journalists that hound her mother, a famous and reclusive artist. The rocky coast and ocean breeze are a welcome respite for Lucretia, who dedicates her summer days to painting, exploring the island, and caring for an orphaned osprey chick.

But Candle Island has secrets of its own--a hidden room in her new house, a mysterious boy with a beautiful voice--and just like the strong tides that surround the shores, they will catch Lucretia in their wake.

With an unforgettable New England setting and a complex web of relationships old and new, Candle Island is a powerful story about art, loss, and the power of being true to your own voice.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Published: 04/22/2025
ISBN: 9780593698549
Pages: 352

Review Citations: Booklist 01/01/2025 pg. 76
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2025
Publishers Weekly 02/17/2025
Horn Book Magazine 03/01/2025 pg. 88