Bear and the Oxbow Island Gang

It’s for real! Rae Chalmer’s debut chapter book is here: Bear and the Oxbow Island Gang is an environmental mystery set on a Maine island for readers 8 – 11.

Last fall, after reading Rae’s manuscript, I began illustrating the story by doing small, preliminary sketches for the cover.

She’s a fellow Peaks Islander, so instead of scanning and emailing my rough ideas, I brought my sketchbook to her house a few minutes away. So analog and refreshing! These are a few more ideas, which all reflect an island setting that residents of Peaks may find familiar.

I also did rough sketches for 18 interior illustrations, most of them chapter headings, based on a handy list from Rae.

And I did a number of sketches for Mrs. Frost, a neighbor of the 11 year-old main character, Bear. Rae was explicit about her inspiration for this sweet lady, a beloved islander now departed, Virginia Foster.

I did a tighter sketch with color for the cover illustration.

Before beginning final art, I spent time gathering references. It takes some research to go from a loose sketch of lady slippers to something recognizable.

Rae shared some books with me, and I found this photo by a friend and fellow nature lover, Denise Ivas.

Here’s the final illustration, in a format that fits the chapter heading space.

A quickie sketch of a beaver lodge

became this final illustration, with a little more detail and contrast.

I completed all the black and white illustrations first. Before tackling the color cover, I went in search of reference for birch trees and the late afternoon light. Any excuse to walk in the woods on Peaks!

I passed a neighbor, Valerie Kelly, bird watching, and she posed for me!

I love when my habitat can provide observations for my work. This is the final illustration, drawn in pastel, that features Olivia and Bear scouting for poachers in a tree, watched by Honey, the Wonder Dog.

I did numerous hand lettered titles for the book jacket, and once Rae was satisfied, the files were submitted by December 1 to her publisher, Maine Authors Publishing.

There are beavers on Peaks Island, but they’re elusive. I was delighted to come across this diorama on a recent visit to the College of the Atlantic’s George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History in Bar Harbor. Wished I’d seen it sooner when I was in the middle of the project.

I sketched on site with Rae’s story on my mind.

I had fun re-purposing the beaver from the book into a collage card.

And then, out of the blue, she just stopped in with her grandson, also nicknamed Bear, who showed me the hot off the press copy! Hooray!

Look, my map of Oxbow Island!

Congratulations, Rae, on your first book, and thanks for trusting me with your story of adventurous kids who care about their habitat.

You can read a great review here.