Vicky’s Adventures in the Champlain Islands Is Now Available on Amazon
I’m pleased to announce the release of a new Vermont children’s book, Vicky’s Adventures in the Champlain Islands: The Search for the Perfect Autumn Day.
The book is now available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle ebook editions.
Set in South Hero, Vermont, the story follows Vicky and her friends Darcy and Khajee as they set out on bicycles in search of what Vicky is certain will be the perfect autumn day.
Naturally, Vicky has a plan.
She also has a wicker basket on the front of her bicycle, and she intends to fill it with apples, colorful leaves, little treasures, and anything else that might help prove that they have found the best of fall in the Champlain Islands.
Things do not go quite according to plan.
A Vermont Adventure Based on Real Places
One of the things that makes this story special to me is that much of the adventure takes place at real locations around South Hero.
Along the way, the girls visit or pass familiar island landmarks and businesses, including:
- Keeler’s Bay Variety Store
- Seb’s Snack Bar
- Folsom School
- Hackett’s Orchard
- Allenholm Farm
- Birdhouse Forest
- White’s Beach
- Snow Farm Vineyard
- the small stone castles found around the islands
- the Grand Isle Ferry
Readers familiar with South Hero may recognize many of these places immediately.
For children who have never visited the Champlain Islands, the book offers a glimpse of what makes this part of Vermont so memorable: apple orchards, country roads, Lake Champlain, changing leaves, farm stands, local gathering places, and the simple pleasure of exploring with friends.
The Search for the Best Apple
Vicky begins the day with a mission: find the best apple in the Champlain Islands.
That turns out to be more complicated than she expects.
Vicky has strong opinions. Khajee has no problem challenging them. Darcy tends to watch quietly until she surprises everyone.
Before long, the girls are arguing about apples, inventing competitions, eating burgers and fries, sampling cider donuts and maple creemees, looking for dinosaurs among the birdhouses, skipping stones at White’s Beach, and discovering that a perfect day may not be something you can plan in advance.
And not everything worth remembering fits inside a bicycle basket.
A Story About Friendship, Exploring and Growing Up in Vermont
Although the book is built around an autumn adventure, the real heart of the story is friendship.
Vicky, Darcy, and Khajee tease each other, compete with each other, disagree constantly, and still look out for one another.
Their day becomes less about finding one perfect apple and more about noticing the places, people, experiences, and little moments that make their home special.
That idea is something I hope carries through future books in the series.
The Beginning of a Champlain Islands Series
The Search for the Perfect Autumn Day is intended to be the first of several Vicky’s Adventures in the Champlain Islands stories.
Future adventures may take Vicky and her friends farther into Grand Isle, North Hero, Isle La Motte, and Alburgh, introducing young readers to more of the history, landscapes, local traditions, and unusual places found throughout Vermont’s Lake Champlain islands.
The goal is to create entertaining stories first, while also giving children a stronger connection to the real places around them.
Illustrated in Black and White
The book includes black-and-white illustrations inspired by classic American children’s books.
The illustrations show familiar Vermont settings, orchards, bicycles, Lake Champlain scenery, local landmarks, and the three girls as they make their way through South Hero.
The paperback format was designed to feel like a traditional storybook that children can read, keep, share, and perhaps bring along when visiting some of the places in the story.
Available in Paperback and Kindle
Vicky’s Adventures in the Champlain Islands: The Search for the Perfect Autumn Day is now available through Amazon as:
Paperback Edition
A 6 × 9-inch printed edition with black-and-white interior illustrations.
Kindle Ebook Edition
A digital version for Kindle readers and compatible devices.
You can find the book on Amazon by searching for:
Vicky’s Adventures in the Champlain Islands William M. Alexander
Discover Vermont, One Story at a Time
Vermonter.com has always been about Vermont stories, places, history, legends, people, and the things that make the Green Mountain State interesting.
This new children’s series takes that idea in a slightly different direction by introducing younger readers to Vermont through fictional adventures grounded in real communities.
I hope local families enjoy recognizing familiar places, and I hope readers from outside Vermont come away wanting to see the Champlain Islands for themselves.
Most of all, I hope children enjoy spending a day riding along with Vicky, Darcy, and Khajee.
Because sometimes the best Vermont adventure begins with a bicycle, a few good friends, an empty basket, and absolutely no idea how the day is going to turn out.
Vicky’s Adventures in the Champlain Islands: The Search for the Perfect Autumn Day
By William M. Alexander
Available now in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon.
