Guinea pigs invade Cundy’s Harbor in new children’s book

Inspired by its beauty and close-knit community, author Kayla James set her new children’s book, “The Chronicles of a Guinea Pig 2,” in Cundy’s Harbor.

In the just-released book, fuzzy heroes RiffRaft and Fluffernutter stow away in a backpack for a trip to a family camp on Quahog Bay. There they are introduced to “grumpy-looking bugs with claws”; learn that a boat is not, as they had hoped, a “floating island of clover”; and develop a taste for adventure.

A conversation about childhood pets — James had hamsters, husband Neil had guinea pigs — was the catalyst for the book series. James saw the potential in guinea pigs immediately.

“They’re kind of naughty,” James said about her protagonists. She based their relationship on her own childhood squabbles and misadventures with her brother.

She has at least five books planned for the series, each inspired by a Maine location.

James grew up in West Paris, a small town in Oxford County. While the inland community has more moose than lobster, it shares some fundamental traits with Cundy’s Harbor.

“The first time I came to Cundy’s Harbor, I felt like I was at home,” James said. Her family has a camp there, and she and Neil got married at Mitchell Field last year.

She likes being part of the community. “You get to know the friendly faces and you feel like you belong to something,” she said.

Belonging is a recurring theme in James’ writing. An elementary school teacher for the last 10 years, she saw the toll the COVID-19 pandemic took on her students, impacting their learning environment and social development.

Creating a book that feels relatable and not overwhelming to read is one way she hopes to help kids feel connection.

“They want to read what their friends are reading,” she said.

With that in mind, James based “The Chronicles of a Guinea Pig 2” on a familiar situation — a family trip.

She uses references local kids will understand, such as lobstering. “It gives them that sense they can belong as well — (like) they’re part of our community.”

She compares the book series to “easy reader graphic novels” in the vein of the popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series by Jeff Kinney. Whimsical illustrations by Maine artist Leigh Kapantais, who has her own guinea pig, bring to mind the doodles children draw in the margins of school notebooks.

James enjoys combining real-life situations with imaginative elements — like talking guinea pigs. Adding a dash of humor and using the familiar layout of a diary or notebook helps the books appeal to kids at a variety of ages and reading levels.

“That’s a big thing right now,” James said about making books accessible. “Kids do not want to miss out on what fun is happening.”

Kayla James will sign “The Chronicles of a Guinea Pig 2” at the Cundy’s Harbor Library from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12. For more information, go to kayla-james.com.