Letters from the Lighthouse

Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll

‘Letters from the Lighthouse’ is a captivating historical fiction novel written by Emma Carroll.

Set during World War II in England, the story follows the lives of Olive and her younger brother Cliff, who are evacuated from London to the coast to escape the Blitz. The siblings find themselves in a mysterious lighthouse, where they uncover hidden secrets and letters that lead them on a journey to unravel the truth.

As the war intensifies, Olive becomes determined to uncover the mystery behind the lighthouse and its connection to a missing girl. The novel skillfully weaves themes of family, friendship, and bravery against the backdrop of wartime challenges. Carroll’s storytelling captures the essence of the era, making ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’ an engaging and educational read for KS2 readers interested in historical adventures.

Chapter 1 - Questions

Sample Words and Meanings Question

Which word in the paragraph below means ‘to drink with a hollow gurgling sound’?

‘No one chucked food away with a war on, not even stuff that resembled brains. You simply pinched your nose and swallowed hard, then glugged down a glass of water. Afterwards, Sukie, being the eldest and in charge, said we deserved a trip out.’

Sample Authorial Technique Question

‘Crack-crack’ is used to describe the sound of the guns Olive can hear. What authorial technique is this an example of?

A. simile
B. metaphor
C. onomatopoeia
D. suspense
E. innuendo

In chapter 1 of Letters from the Lighthouse, your KS2 class will make deductions using information provided, identify different word classes, look for spelling mistakes, identifying synonyms, match words with a definition, place events in chronological order and answer retrieval questions.

The chapter introduces your class to characters Olive, Sukie and Cliff as well as be introduced to key World War terminology.

Chapter 2 - Questions

Sample Retrieval Question
What injury did Olive have on her left hip?

A. a large scar
B. a big bruise
C. a significant cut
D. a broken bone
E. a slice

Sample Punctuation Question
Which piece of punctuation is missing from the sentence?

“Your mum needs to work, love” Gloria said, trying to keep the peace.

A. Comma
B. Speech marks
C. Full stop
D. Exclamation mark
E. Question Mark

In this chapter, your class will reflect on how Olive and her mum felt about being reunited, look for words in the passage when given definitions, identifying the missing punctuation, learn about Olive’s injury, why the author uses repetitive language and more.

Chapter 3 - Questions

Sample Summarising Question
Which of the following sentences correctly summarises the events of this chapter?

A. Olive investigates her sister’s letters then gets informed that her and her brother will be evacuated.
B. Olive finds out what her sister has been up to then finds out about her mother’s evacuation plans.
C. Olive looks through Sukie’s letters then has an argument about being evacuated.
D. Olive reads some letters then discusses the pros and cons of the evacuation process with her mother.
E. Olive becomes more confused after searching through Sukie’s letters and avoids her mum who is looking to talk about evacuation.

Sample Inference Question
What reason do you think best explains why Olive took this seashell with her?

A. Her dad told her to always keep it with her.
B. It might get destroyed at home.
C. To keep it from her brother.
D. To listen to the sound of waves.
E. To help her remember her dad.

In this question set your class will focus on: sentence starters, explore feelings, antonyms, explanations, tenses, missing punctuation and more.

On a content aspect, the questions cover: Kindertransport, Olive’s feelings about going to sleep on a Sunday night, Olive and her seashell and more.

Chapter 4

Summary
In this chapter, Olive and her brother Cliff embark on their journey to Devon, where they will stay with Queenie Pickering. Gloria has arranged their accommodation, which Olive finds reassuring because Queenie might have information about Olive’s missing sister, Sukie. The excitement of the trip is tempered by Olive’s anxiety about the chaotic scene at Paddington Station, where they join a large group of evacuated children. Despite feeling overwhelmed, Olive manages to stay focused on their departure and the prospect of staying by the sea.

On the train, Olive struggles with the crowded and noisy environment and encounters a bully, Esther Jenkins, who steals Cliff’s comic. Olive’s attempts to retrieve it lead to a confrontation with their new teacher, Mr. Barrowman. Despite Olive’s efforts to look after Cliff, she feels frustrated and anxious about the journey. However, she remains hopeful that Queenie will be a kind host and that the trip to see the lighthouse will be a positive experience amidst the challenges.

Chapter 5

Summary
In this Chapter your KS2 students will read that Olive and Cliff arrive at Budmouth Point after a lengthy journey, only to find that their host, Queenie Pickering, has not arrived. They are met by Mrs. Henderson and Miss Carter and are led to the village hall, where Olive grows increasingly anxious as time passes without Queenie. Despite a spread of tea laid out for the evacuees, Mr. Barrowman instructs them not to eat, and Olive’s concern grows.

The chapter reveals the emotional strain of the evacuation process, with Olive overhearing Esther Jenkins crying, illustrating the impact of war on children. Mrs. Henderson’s frustration with Queenie’s absence further compounds Olive’s worries. Determined to ensure Cliff’s well-being, Olive decides to find Queenie herself, showcasing her growing sense of responsibility amidst the chaos.

Chapter 6

Summary
After leaving the village hall, Olive and Cliff follow Mrs. Henderson to Queenie’s house, which turns out to be much larger than they expected. Queenie, who is surprisingly different from what Olive had imagined, greets them with a somewhat brusque manner. She seems more concerned about their work capacity than their comfort, and Olive’s hopes for a warm welcome and a nice meal quickly fade.

Queenie shows them to their attic rooms, which are cold and sparsely furnished. Olive is disheartened by the stark contrast between Queenie and her sister Sukie’s descriptions. Queenie’s indifference makes Olive and Cliff feel unwelcome, and they go to bed feeling disappointed and uneasy. Olive writes a postcard home to maintain a cheerful facade, but struggles with the cold and the uncomfortable room. While settling in, she discovers a mysterious coded message in the lining of her coat, raising her sense of unease and curiosity about its meaning.

Chapter 7

Summary
In chapter 7 we read that the next morning, Queenie woke Olive and Cliff before dawn, skipping breakfast and sending Olive out to deliver groceries while Cliff worked in the shop. Olive attempted to talk about Sukie with Queenie but was interrupted. Despite Queenie’s warnings about quicksand on the beach, Olive and Cliff focused on their new routines.

During her deliveries, Olive marvelled at the village but remained troubled by Sukie’s mysterious coded note. Her day grew more unsettling when she saw the upset Esther Jenkins leaving town and learned from Mrs. Drummond that German planes were approaching, increasing her anxiety about the war.

Overview

Chapters Overview
In Holes we have created 50 question sets.

Each set consists of:
– 4 retrieval questions
– 4 SPAG questions
– 4 Deeper questions (authorial technique, inference, sequencing, summarising, similes, metaphors etc.)

How does our website work?

1. You will assign each child in your class the questions of a particular chapter.
2. They will login and complete the questions online.
3. You will view the ‘Results’ section and see how each child did.

Results
Green means that the child got the question right first time.

Orange means that the child got it right but it took a few attempts – a number will be displayed inside to show how many attempts.

Red means that the child didn’t get the question correct – a number will be inside the red box to show how many failed attempts.

Interpreting the Results
Select a range of chapter question sets in the results section and choose a child. Next you will be able to see all completed activities and look for patterns, areas of strength and areas for improvement.