The Islanders

by Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May

(BOOK REVIEW) One of my favorite authors of adult beach reads, Mary Alice Monroe, has teamed with Angela May, a close friend and media specialist, to write a middle-grade novel set on South Carolina’s Dewees Island. The result is an amazing story about friendship, loss, and the healing power of nature.

I’ve met Monroe twice, and she’s as fine a person as she is a writer. After a book signing, she took the time to encourage me to keep plugging away on my novel. Each summer, you’ll find me by the pool with my nose in one of her stories. This year was an exception. I read two—the adult The Summer of Lost and Found (I highly recommend it) and The Islanders, which is the first in a series. I’m happy to say that I liked both equally.

In a surprise twist, a minor character, Lovie, from Monroe’s Beach House series appears in The Islanders as one-third of a trio of new friends. The protagonist, eleven-year-old Jake, meets her shortly after arriving on the island to stay with his grandmother for the summer. Within days, they befriend Macon, whose parents own a second home not far from Lovie’s house. All three struggle with family issues that they hide from each other.

Throughout their summer adventures, they learn to trust each other. Slowly, they reveal their secrets. After an unwise decision, they’re sentenced to mandatory turtle duty. Each morning they must rise early and check the beach for turtle nests. When they discover a predator has raided one of the nests, they create an elaborate plan to protect the turtle eggs.

A Monroe story always features some South Carolina critter, and The Islanders doesn’t disappoint. Not only will readers learn about sea turtles, but they’ll also gain a little knowledge about alligators and jellyfish. I recommend this book to tween readers who love the environment and adventure.