Dear Reader,

The Summer Island Swap was inspired my son’s trip to the Peruvian rainforest, when he was seventeen. Oh, it was hard waving him off at the airport! The long journey involved three flights and a boat and being a mother I, of course, imagined all the worst scenarios. On top of that there was to be no phone nor internet contact for two weeks.

However, there comes a time when every parent must let go. And I was also so proud of his desire to travel the world and take part in a volunteering trip. When he returned I listened in awe to his descriptions of the conservation work, all of which are reflected in this story - the bird counting and butterfly catching; the turtle egg collecting and trail-clearing. My son gave me a real insight into what it is like to take part in one of these demanding projects. This was helped by the photographs he brought back. My favourite was of a spider monkey wrapping his arms around my son’s head, and this inspired the character of dear little Chatty.

In recent times we’ve seen the catastrophic effects of climate change – flooding around the world and the devastating Australian bush fires. The wondrous wildlife that lives alongside us has never been more at risk, with this to contend with as well as the ongoing challenges of, for example, logging and hunting. The natural world needs our help and support more than ever, for its own sake and ours. I hope my story shows that just one person, like Rick, can make a difference. A couple of years ago I stopped drinking bottled water after a twenty year habit. It’s a tiny contribution but I firmly believe that all of us fighting the little battles will help win the overall war.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this novel that was written from the heart. We live on such a beautiful planet. Let’s hope future generations can say the same.

Best wishes,

Sam X