Introducing new generation to mystery
North Kentville author releases The Oak Island Treasure Kids
Anew children’s book by a Kings County author could hold the potential to inspire the next generation of Oak Island treasure hunters and theorists. Although it’s a fictional account, The Oak Island Treasure Kids draws greatly from the history and legends of Oak Island. It follows three boys, Thomas, Ben and Noah, who find a treasure map. They embark on an adventure, trying to find the legendary Oak Island treasure.
Released in January, the book is the first in what will be a self-published series of three by children’s author Sherri Boudreau (S.L. Boudreau) of North Kentville.
The Oak Island Treasure Kids is available at several Nova Scotia bookstores and on Amazon.ca, where it has reached No. 2 on a list of best-selling children’s books about discovery and exploration.
Boudreau, who also works as the office manager and event co-ordinator at the Kings County Museum in Kentville, said she always read to her children when they were younger and would write stories with their names included. This led to a dream of writing and publishing a children’s book.
It occurred to her that she had never seen a fictionalized children’s picture book about Oak Island like the one she envisioned, so she began writing.
“It was really about bringing the story to our younger generation,” Boudreau said.
‘Fascinated’ by treasure tales
She said the hit History Channel TV show The Curse of Oak Island has really helped raise the profile of the island’s history and legends with adults.
However, she has done several author visits to schools and was surprised to learn how little most children know about the history and treasure legends of Oak Island. Some didn’t even know Oak Island existed.
Boudreau said the students quickly become fascinated as she shares stories of buried treasure being located so close to home. She is receiving a lot of positive feedback about the book and several teachers have told her it is a great way to introduce the topic to kids.
She said today’s children will be the ones to carry on the stories and legends of Oak Island. Some who read the book may be inspired to become the next generation of treasure hunters.
Boudreau said the idea of the three boys as the main characters relates to the discovery of the Oak Island “money pit” in 1795 by Daniel McInnis, John Smith, and Anthony Vaughn. Many historical facts – and prominent theories – have been incorporated into the fictitious tale.
Boudreau said she wanted the book to be colourful and vibrant. Boudreau loves the work of Yurii Speranskii, so she enlisted the illustrator to provide the eye-catching artwork.
The book concludes in an open-ended way that allows the reader to use their imagination to determine what happens, and that will lead nicely into the second book in the series.
“I ended it on a cliffhanger,” Boudreau said.
ALL ABOUT MYSTERY
Carmen Legge, a blacksmithing expert who is regularly featured on The Curse of Oak Island, said the cliff-hanger ending is one of the things he likes most about the book.
He said the fact viewers are often left to formulate their own theories and conclusions is also something he likes about the TV show. The way it’s presented allows fans to be part of the team.
There is a multi-generational, and in his opinion multi-national, mystery at play on Oak Island. Legge said he believes it’s the element of mystery that makes it so fascinating and appealing, and this is a part of human nature. It’s also the case that every discovery made on the island leads to more questions.
He said people from outside the province seem to know the story of Oak Island better than most Nova Scotians do. When people from Nova Scotia travel to the United States, he said one of the first questions they’re invariably asked is if they know where Oak Island is or how far away from it do they live.
“People are now starting to realize, ‘holy smokes, we’ve got this in our own backyard,’” Legge said.
He said Boudreau’s book serves to draw children into the history of Oak Island in a fun, entertaining way.
INSPIRING YOUNG READERS
Legge said there have been many books written about Oak Island, many with a theorist’s slant. There are theories that range from The Knights Templar burying the Ark of the Covenant there to Sir Francis Bacon being the true author of Shakespearian scripts and having hidden them on the island.
The Kings County resident said there is also a lot of history in books written about the island and Boudreau does a great job relating that history to children.
Legge said treasure hunters Rick and Marty Lagina from The Curse of Oak Island were inspired by the legend after Rick read a 1965 Reader’s Digest article, and others have been inspired in a similar way.
He said Boudreau’s book may have a similar influence on young readers.
Boudreau said she has already had a boy approach her after one of her school presentations to tell her he wants to be a treasure hunter when he grows up.
For more information, visit www.oakislandtreasurekids.com or email oakislandtreasurekids@gmail.com.