Paintings to Pages

THE LEGEND OF FRIPP ISLAND’S KING ARTHUR 

Deep in the wild beauty of Fripp Island, an alligator named Arthur has a story to tell. With a curious raccoon, two mischievous opossums, and a cast of Lowcountry friends, Arthur’s adventure reveals how an ordinary alligator came to wear a very extraordinary crown.

Written and illustrated by Kathleen Stables

Buy the Paperback on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

A Keepsake Hardcover Is Coming 

For readers who would like a special edition to treasure, a keepsake hardcover of The Legend of Fripp Island’s King Arthur is planned and will be available here at Kathleen Stables Art.

Keepsake Hardcover — Coming Soon

FROM PAINTING TO PAGES

  • THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY 

    What began as a painting soon became something more. Inspired by the wildlife, marshes, beaches, and colorful personalities of Fripp Island, I began imagining stories about an alligator named Arthur and the friends who shared his Lowcountry home.

    As Arthur appeared in more of my paintings, his personality—and his legend—began to grow. Eventually, the characters seemed ready to step right out of the paintings and onto the pages of their own book.

See How the Paintings Became Pages 

Explore a few of the original paintings that inspired the scenes, characters, and illustrations in The Legend of Fripp Island’s King Arthur. Watch as each painting makes its way from canvas to the pages of the story.

1 3

Meet a Few of Arthur’s Fripp Friends 

  • King Arthur 

    Fripp Island’s most legendary alligator—with a crown, a big personality, and quite a story to tell.

  • Willa 

    Curious, clever, and always ready to help, Willa is Arthur’s raccoon friend with a knack for finding herself right in the middle of the adventure.

  • Opie 

    Mischievous, curious, and full of personality, Opie is a young opossum who never seems to be far from the action—or from his sister, Opal.

  • Mayor Moss 

    Small in stature but big on importance, Mayor Moss keeps a watchful eye on the happenings around Fripp Island—and takes his duties very seriously. 🐸👑

About the Reading Experience

Designed especially for ages 5–8 as a read-aloud or shared-reading experience with parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Older children may also enjoy reading the story independently.

The text includes rich descriptive language and Lowcountry vocabulary, with an independent reading level of approximately Grades 4–5. Reading level was evaluated using several standard readability measures, including Flesch-Kincaid, Flesch Reading Ease, ARI, SMOG, and Coleman-Liau.

Arthur’s Challenge Is Coming! 

The adventure doesn’t end with the story! Arthur’s Challenge, a companion activity book to The Legend of Fripp Island’s King Arthur, is in the works—with coloring pages, hidden-picture challenges, mazes, puzzles, and more Lowcountry fun featuring Arthur and his Fripp Island friends.

COMING SOON