The Upside-Down Lighthouse by Paddy Donnelly

The Upside-Down Lighthouse by Paddy Donnelly, published by O’Brien Press, is the third and final book in the series. We asked Paddy to tell us a little about how he brought this book to life.

The Causeway Coast has a never-ending number of inspirational places, and after The Golden Hare I was excited to revisit Rathlin Island for another story with Meara and Grandad. Growing up on Ballycastle beach, I would gaze out at this island full of magic and mystery. In the evenings I would begin to see its three lighthouses flashing across the sea. One in particular, on the west coast of the island was always a little more intriguing - because it had been built upside down! Stuck halfway down the cliff face, it is surrounded by a huge bird colony of puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, fulmars and razorbills. A truly stunning place to visit. This unique lighthouse was built this way due to the low-lying fog which is common around the island. If the light had been installed at the top of the cliff, ships would never see it!

For this story I wanted to take Meara and Grandad out on a boat to discover the magical sea life that we can find in Irish waters. Meara wants to discover why the lighthouse is the way it is, and comes to realise that maybe she can learn a thing or two about life above and below the waves if she looks at things from another angle.

“Meara and Grandad are exploring together again and this might be their most mesmerising adventure to date! … The illustrations are stunningly atmospheric, playing with perspective … Donnelly has a knack for bringing nature to life in his stories … all of the magic that Meara and Grandad encounter in their books is grounded in reality, a detail that makes their adventures all the more immersive for readers.” — Inis Magazine

Get your copy of The Upside-Down Lighthouse here.

Paddy is represented by Susan Penny, take a look at his full portfolio here.