Charlotte County Skunk Apes

Charlotte County Skunk Apes is a gentle and imaginative tale that blends local history with folklore in a way that feels both timeless and personal. At its core, this book is about connection—between people, between cultures, and between the natural world and those who quietly live within it. The story begins in the early days of Charlotte Harbor, where a mysterious child is found along the shore, wrapped in leaves. Her name is Charlotte. Though human in many ways, Charlotte has long, hairy arms and a quiet strength that sets her apart. Raised with love by her adoptive parents, she grows up kind, capable, and deeply connected to the animals and people around her. As Charlotte matures, she begins to understand that she comes from a lineage not fully human—her roots are with the Skunk Apes, peaceful forest-dwellers misunderstood by settlers but respected by the Native people who once shared the land. Years later, another Skunk Ape child is found—this time a baby boy named Toby—and Charlotte becomes his guide. Their friendship offers a tender portrait of family, identity, and belonging. Together, they live quiet lives among neighbors who come to love them not for what they are, but for who they are. Talmadge tells this story with a deep sense of care. His words are not hurried. He takes time to let moments breathe—to let characters grow, and to let the reader settle into the world he has imagined. Though fictional, this book honors the rhythms of a real place and invites us to look more closely at the stories that may lie just beneath the surface of our own communities. This is not just a story about Skunk Apes. It’s about kindness. It’s about history. And it’s about how ordinary people, when guided by love and understanding, can create something enduring.