The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge

"Once upon a time a little lighthouse was built on a sharp point of the shore by the Hudson River. It was round and fat and red. It was fat and red and jolly. And it was VERY, VERY PROUD. Behind it lay New York City where the people lived..." The little red lighthouse was very quiet by day, watching all the ships and people traveling up and down the river. But by night, it was very busy flashing its lights and ringing its bell to keep the ships away from the rocks and danger. "It felt big and useful and important. What would the boats do without me? it thought." Then one day, everything began to change. Workmen came and dug and dug. Enormous steel girders began to rise over the little lighthouse, and huge, heavy cables were strung between the girders. A great gray bridge grew overhead, spanning the river from shore to shore. It made the little lighthouse feel very small and unimportant..... Originally published in 1942, award winning author Hildegarde Swift's, The Little Red Lighthouse And The Great Gray Bridge is as heartwarming and entertaining today, as it was over sixty years ago. Her engaging text, with its happily-ever-after ending, is complemented by Lynd Ward's charming, playful, and expressive illustrations, and together word and art send a simple message that won't be lost on young children...size doesn't equal importance. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, The Little Red Lighthouse And The Great Gray Bridge includes a fascinating afterword on the back cover about the history of the real lighthouse and bridge, portrayed in this story, to further enlighten. This is a timeless classic, to read and share now with friends and family, and future generations in the years to come. "And now beside the great beacon of the bridge the small beam of the lighthouse still flashes. Beside the towering gray bridge the lighthouse still bravely stands. Though it knows now that it is little, it is still VERY, VERY PROUD. And every day the people who go up Riverside Drive in New York City turn to look at it. For there they both are-the great gray bridge and the little red lighthouse. If you don't believe it, go see for yourselves!"

As a child in The Bronx, we visited the Little Red Lighthouse and this story paints a great picture of progress and the way it affects our lives. We may not think we are in with the times but as the lighthouse finds out, there is a place for all of us and people for us to take care of. I first read this book when my son was in 1st grade and now I'm ordering it for his 34th birthday. We've both visited the lighthouse and of course crossed the Great Gray Bridge on our way from the city to the south where we live now.

In my youth, I borrowed this book from the library so many times that my parents finally bought it for me. They also took me to see the legendary lighthouse (which still stands, proudly, under the GW Bridge, not far from where I grew up). Now, as an adult, I have had the great pleasure of enriching my nephews' lives with this simple fable of pride and perserverance. I still treasure this book, and hope to share it with my own children one day.