The Islanders Books in Order

The Islanders books introduce middle grade readers to Dewees Island, a real barrier island off the South Carolina coast where there are no cars, no stores, and very little screen time. Eleven year old Jake Potter finds out he will be spending the summer there with his grandmother, Honey, while his mother travels to care for his injured father. To a kid who loves his phone and his friends, the plan feels like a punishment.

On Dewees, Jake meets Macon, another “summer kid,” and Lovie, a local girl who knows every path, dock, and tidal creek. The three do not click right away. A reckless decision on an old boat lands them in trouble, and their consequence is daily service with the Island Turtle Team. Sunrise patrols for loggerhead sea turtle tracks, relocating vulnerable nests, and guarding hatchlings from predators slowly turn into something more than a chore.

In The Islanders, monitoring turtle nests and exploring the island’s marshes and maritime forest help Jake process fear and anger about his father’s injuries. Macon grapples with his parents’ divorce, and Lovie navigates what it means to grow up in a small, close knit community. Their friendship forms as they work side by side and realize that helping animals survive can make them braver too.

Search for Treasure brings the trio back for another summer. Jake’s father is recovering on the island, but both of them are still adjusting to a “new normal” after war. A news clipping about a gold coin and family stories about a long lost tree fort spark a new mission: if they can find the hidden treasure from Jake’s dad’s boyhood, maybe they can help him feel like himself again. The search leads them through tidal creeks, dense woods, and some very real dangers, including human visitors who do not respect the island.

Throughout the series, Monroe and coauthor Angela May keep the pace fast and the stakes personal. There are scrapes, storms, and arguments, but no easy villains. Dewees itself is as much a character as any child, with alligators in the lagoons, ospreys in the sky, and loggerheads crawling out of the surf at night. The Islanders books are designed to make young readers feel the thrill of a wild place while quietly inviting them to think about stewardship, friendship, and courage.