Summer Bats

Author Rae Chalmers wrapped up an award-winning Oxbow Island Gang series with her fifth and final title, Summer Bats. We met at the Peaks Island Library last fall sporting our Moonbeam Children’s Book award ribbons while I was in the middle of illustrating bats galore.

Jamie Hogan and Rae Chalmers win the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for the Oxbow Island Gang       photo © Tom McLaughlin

The story takes place at this point in the summer: when Peaks is swarmed by visitors and the car ferry lines swell. As a busy traveler, it’s not Rae’s favorite time of year. The big mystery is: will your vehicle get on the boat or not? Cruise ship passengers can be entertained as they look down on our daily dramas.

Car ferry line at Casco Bay Lines           photo © Jamie Hogan

Here’s my chapter one opening illustration.

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats © Jamie Hogan

Things can and do get heated, chaotic, and confrontational. Rae is explicit with her art direction, and wanted to show a familiar and fierce CBL deckhand putting a snarly tourist in his place.

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats © Jamie Hogan

We have encountered similar episodes in the vehicle lines leaving Peaks, with visitors who just don’t know how the line works. How could they? There’s no ferry personnel on the island except when the boat pulls in, and by then nerves have been frayed by trucks and cars jockeying for a spot on Welch Street. If you find yourself around the corner in front of Down Front, you probably are on the NEXT boat, sorry. There will be another one, just wait. You’re on island time🙂

Does anyone recognize Claw Island? It bears a close resemblance to another island down the bay.

Map of Great Claw Island from Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats                © Jamie Hogan

A new character appears in the story, Sojourner Truth Yeats, sister of the Professor from previous books. She goes by Sojo, and as an artist of renown, she captures island wildlife. It was fun to draw island deer, who we rarely spy these days.

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats      © Jamie Hogan

Another Peaks Island tradition every summer: jumping off the dock. I leave it to the kids.  I went down to document the dock for reference in October, imagining the clusters of wet teens.

Peaks Island dock         photo ©Jamie Hogan

It’s a big moment for Bear to give it a try for the first time.

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats © Jamie Hogan

One scene takes place in Battery Steele, which can seem creepy even on a good day.

Tunnels of graffiti in Battery Steele on Peaks Island photo © Jamie Hogan

Built as a fortification during World War 2, the Battery is now owned by the Peaks Island Land Preserve. I borrowed books about bats from the library and lots more from my neighbor, Doug Smith, an illustrator who is a big fan of bats. This illustration required equal parts reference and imagination, in which Bear startles a swarm of bats. Beware: bats do inhabit this place in real life, and are an endangered species!

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats        © Jamie Hogan

I had even more fun inventing a bat circus, something Bear imagines to dispel his fears.

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats © Jamie Hogan

Rae’s environmental mystery series has many elements of authenticity. I got to draw from her collection of bird houses, which in the story are made by Olivia’s father.

Rae’s collection of bird houses photo © Jamie Hogan

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats © Jamie Hogan

This is the first illustration in which I inserted a Rae look alike, on the left. IRL she is the grandmother of a boy named Bear. The wave goodbye here signifies more than a fictional ending.

Illustration for Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats    © Jamie Hogan

I like to leave the cover for last. After a couple rounds of rough ideas, Rae chose this one.

cover of Summer Bats by Rae Chalmers illustration © Jamie Hogan

Rather than throw a book launch in late spring, Rae was inspired to give back. She said, “Inspiration for the whole series came to me while I was walking Fiona, our beautiful chocolate lab, on the PILP trails every day.” She announced a portion of her proceeds up through Earth Day would be donated to the Peaks Island Land Preserve. Here she presents a check of her donation to Marty Braun, PILP board member.

Rae Chalmers presents a check for a portion of proceeds from her new book, Oxbow Island Gang: Summer Bats to Marty Braun of the Peaks Island Land Preserve                   photo © Jamie Hogan

It’s been a fantastic run, working on a book series with an author who has such clear ideas and passion for the natural world. Thanks for the mysteries and marvelous friendship, Rae!