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Search For Treasure_ (Magic of Nature) - 9.3 miles
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Last Thursday, I joined the Sullivans Island community for an evening with New York Times best-selling author Angela May, at the Battery Gadsden Cultural Center as part of their speaker series. After a seemingly endless, rainy week, I welcomed the sunny, cloudless drive out to Sullivan’s Island Thursday evening. The drive over the Ben Sawyer bridge was wistful. Lowcountry Spring was tangible in the briny, marsh air. For many locals, the Lowcountry is analogous with flashbacks of adventuring in the marsh, making dribble castles, or scorching hot summer days. For Angela May, growing up in the Charleston Lowcountry fostered an intimate relationship with local wildlife and ecosystems.
May presented “Nature is Magic: The Inspiration of the Islander’s Book Series” to discuss her New York Times series, which she co-authored with writing partner Mary Alice Monroe. The Islanders is Angela May’s first entry into the world of publishing as a writer.
When Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May decided to work together, they saw an opportunity to share the legacy message of celebrating and honoring the Lowcountry’s landscape with the next generation. The legacy message being the belief that, “When you know, then you care, and then you take care. So how do we expect our children today to care about the landscape, and the wildlife if they don't get a chance to learn about it?” Monroe questioned.
In the initial stages of their creative process, Monroe and May decided they wanted to create a book for the children in their local community. Co-authors set out to publish a book that would inspire young readers to go out and explore the magic of nature independently or with their families. Hence, The Islanders was written for ages 8-12. May had noticed her own children losing interest in going outside, which created a sense of urgency among the co-authors to share their legacy message.
The Islanders is set on Dewees Island, a private residential conservation easement just north of the Isle of Palms.
Search For Treasure_ (Magic of Nature) - 9.3 miles
May said, “Through a wild adventurous story based in realistic fiction, we wanted the children to be curious, and to care about the environment around them - The environment that we are living in."
Monroe and May have a very intimate relationship with the community on Dewees Island. One of their closest relationships is with environmental photographer and videographer, Judy Fairchild.
Judy Fairchild moved to Dewees Island in 2008 and then decided to retire from real estate in 2020. Her reason for retiring? She thirsted to be outside more. Similar to May and Monroe, her love for nature turned into a passion for teaching. The works of Fairchild, May, and Monroe have been heavily influenced by the mission of Dewees Island. During the pandemic, Fairchild realized how fortunate she was to have access to pristine landscape and wildlife in her own backyard. Each day, she found a new story in nature to share with those around her. This nature sanctuary played a large role in the development of The Islanders. Fairchild has even created a narrative YouTube series, Dewees Island: The Setting for the Islanders. She gathered some of her favorite footage and scenes from the book to allow others to enjoy the adventures in The Islanders regardless of where you are. This enables readers to experience the magic of nature through the power of this story. This narrative YouTube series is linked below.
“Once you get to Dewee’s Island all of the hustle and bustle of the city falls away. All you can hear is the roaring ocean, and the creatures in the maritime forest”
-Angela May
When Jake arrives at Dewees Island for the summer, he is greeted by unpaved roads and golf carts; there are no stores, restaurants, or cars. Jake’s grandmother does not have internet or cable. Through the perspective of a peer, eleven-year-old Jake, the readers feel like they are experiencing firsthand the ecosystem and landscape of Dewees Island. The Lowcountry landscape of Dewees Island provided the authors with an accessible setting for local children and their families to be able to experience adventures similar to Jake’s within their local environment.
The most popular creature from The Islanders is Big Al, an American Alligator who lives on Dewees Island. Monroe and May specifically chose the American Alligator because as the Charleston population continues to grow, more and more residents are misunderstanding how to share the land with these Lowcountry creatures. The American Alligator is native to South Carolina; some alligators, such as Big Al, can reach up to 15 ft in length.
However, the size of Big Al is not what the authors want the reader to remember. Big Al was created to teach readers of all ages how to respect a creature in its kingdom. One of the most vital messages Monroe and May want to convey is that it is our responsibility to live in harmony with and respect the wildlife and ecosystems in our local community. It takes time and patience to get curious about nature. When you are beginning your nature journey, please remember to leave the wildlife alone and do not feed, chase or interfere with any wildlife.
One of the most prominent themes in The Islanders book series are ways we can live in harmony with nature. Sullivan’s Island Elementary has a special relationship with Angela May and Mary Alice Monroe. Following the release of both books in the series, they hosted two school wide events at Sullivan’s Island Elementary. In fact, at the event on Thursday, students from the elementary school got there early to sit in the front row. May says after sharing their story with a school, she feels incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to write a story that sparks a child’s creativity. Children are so passionate about this book series and May said that their enthusiasm for this series has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the entire process.
“What are the stories that captured your hearts when you were children?” May asked the audience near the beginning of the presentation. She called on us to reflect on a favorite childhood book. After a moment of silence, she said “It gave you the power to transport yourself into a fictional world, an adventure you could enjoy on your own.”
It is the responsibility of adults to lead by example when it comes to being curious about the world and caring about the land we call home. Within our county we have access to county parks, waterways, beaches, and trails. Most families in the Lowcountry live relatively close to a nature trail, local park or even playground. May suggests that those families go online and see what events are happening around them. There are even phone apps that can be utilized to explore nature with your family and friends, these apps can identify different species of plants and insects. We are living in a society that is dependent on technology, and consequently we are seeing the younger generations lose the wonder and curiosity of the wildlife that exists. Be intentional and have more green time and less screen time. This book series ignites a childlike curiosity in its readers, regardless of their age.
“The magic of nature is truly the heart, and the reason behind the book”
-Angela May
Always remember to be intentional and have more green time and less screen time. This book series was created to ignite a childlike curiosity in its readers, regardless of their age.
Upcoming for this series:
Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May are very excited to announce a third book in The Islanders is in the works!