By Robert M. Sarwark
There are many ways you may already know longtime Ormewood Parker, Dr. Paul Bolster, PhD.
You may know him from his tireless reporting on local politics in these pages. You may be old enough to recall his twelve years of service as a legislator in Georgia’s House of Representatives. You may know him from his many years of volunteering — continued to this day — with South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development (SAND). To name a few.
However you may know him, if you do, you know that Paul Bolster is committed to community, to the environment, and to the truth. Now there’s another way to get to know him: As an author of middle-grade fiction in the form of his latest book, Their Wild Island.
Their Wild Island, published by Tybee Island-based Maudlin Pond Press ($17.95), follows the story of a smart but inexperienced boy from Atlanta and his grandfather, a veteran outdoorsman, environmentalist, and life-long resident of Tybee Island. “Imagine, as I did,” explains Bolster, “an Atlanta 13-year-old named Jack spending his spring break with his Papa Joe in the Little Tybee Marsh. Maybe it can help create the next generation of coastal advocates and lovers of the Georgia Coast.”
The work indeed serves as a continuation of Bolster’s own advocacy for Georgia’s approximately one-hundred miles of coastline. His 2020 book, Saving the Georgia Coast (University of Georgia Press), thoroughly details the history of the legislative enactment of the 1970 Coastal Marshland Protection Act, which requires permits, standards, and limitations when altering the coastal marshlands. With a novel written for a younger audience, his aim is to spark inspiration through elements of adventure, discovery, and a shared love of the natural world that spans generations.
The book is narrated primarily by Jack, the grandson, but often shifts to Papa Joe’s perspective. Prompted by his curious grandson, Papa Joe recounts his attempts, with the help of two equally passionate friends, to keep “their wild island” free from commercial development when they were around Jack’s age many decades ago. The genre, then, is historical fiction in the sense that many of the places, characters, and events are real, including former Georgia governor Lester Maddox (1967-1971). The shift in perspective also highlights, despite their differing experiences with technology and the outdoors, respectively, how much the two have in common.
The 148-page text is easy to follow and would make a great gift for a budding environmentalist or even those who simply love nature. The target age is between 8 and 12 years old, but readers of all ages will appreciate the book’s messaging to get out and make a positive impact on our world. “This book should be on the reading list of every young teenager in Georgia – and everywhere else,” according to Charles Seabrook, author of The World of the Salt Marsh and celebrated journalist of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The East Atlanta Library will host Dr. Bolster for an author talk on Tuesday, December 2 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Check the library website at fulcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?locations=EAST_A or call 404-613-7320 for more information. Another author event, an interactive experience focused on kids, will include my presentation on Their Wild Island on Sunday, December 7 at 1:30pm at Roswell Junction located at 340 South Atlanta Street in Roswell.
Order a copy in time for the holidays at maudlinpond.com/product/their-wild-island. Use promo code WILD at checkout for free shipping. The book is also available at paulbolster.com.
