Candle Island, Lauren Wolk
Candle Island, Lauren Wolk
List: $25.00 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.50

Candle Island

Author: Lauren Wolk

Narrator: Emily Rankin, Lauren Wolk

Unabridged: 9 hr 24 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/22/2025

Synopsis

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.

About The Author

Lauren Wolk is an award–winning poet, artist, and novelist. She is the author of Echo Mountain, My Own Lightning, Newbery Honor–winner Wolf Hollow, and Scott O’Dell Award-winner Beyond the Bright Sea. Lauren was born in Baltimore and has since lived in California, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Canada, and Ohio. She now lives with her family on Cape Cod.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Betsy on April 11, 2025

An author that can tell you at the beginning of their book that there’s a big secret lurking in its pages, then subsequently make you completely forget all about it until the right time is, to my mind, a good writer. And I surprise absolutely no one when I say that Lauren Wolk? She is a good writer.......more

Goodreads review by Benji on April 07, 2025

I'm not on the 2026 Newbery committee, but if I was, we would be talking about this book.......more

Goodreads review by Kelly on April 29, 2025

There is something very timeless about Candle Island and the beautifully moving story that Lauren Wolk weaved so seamlessly. If this does not win a Newbery, I will lose hope in all that is good and right in the world. Wolk pulls you right into the world of Lucretia, a girl who is wise beyond her yea......more

Goodreads review by Meg on May 04, 2025

NOTE: GREAT READ-ALOUD OPTION, esp for kids into the arts (painting, music, poetry, writing) Again Lauren has written such a beautiful story. Her books always incite a longing to move to whatever rural location she has chosen (which for this was an island off the coast of Maine). Also love the charac......more

Goodreads review by Amy on May 03, 2025

One of my favorite YA authors, Lauren Wolk, has done it again--created the most beautiful story with a very special young lady at the center. Lucretia (Lucy) and her mother move to Candle Island, Maine to recover from the death of her father and the ongoing pressure from the outside world on her pri......more

Quotes

★ “Wolk writes with a beautiful serenity reflective of Lucretia’s unconventional artist’s view of the world . . . Readers who enjoy good writing for its own sake and meeting characters who feel like friends by story’s end will revel in losing themselves on Candle Island.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “[A] cathartic and deeply felt story, a resounding celebration of unconditional love and personal expression.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Wolk’s latest novel wonderfully portrays new relationships while tackling grief and self-discovery. The characters are well developed, and readers can see parts of themselves and those they know. . . A worthy purchase for library shelves that would also serve well as a selection for group discussions.” —School Library Journal

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List