Whidbey Island may not be hopping with shopping malls or a cinema showing 20 movies at once, but it is alive with countless things to do, and Deb Crager is happy to share 101 of those activities.

Whether you’re looking for a crime to solve — like Mystery Weekend in Langley — or a haunted house for a thriller Halloween — try the Roller Barn in Oak Harbor — or if you’re merely looking for a fun day in the gardens — like those at Meerkerk Gardens on Central Whidbey — this book has it all.

In her new book, “101 Things to do on Whidbey Island,” Crager details activities to do in a day, a weekend or over a lifetime. This guide isn’t just for tourists; it offers ideas for lifelong islanders to plan a fun time.

“There are people who’ve lived here 30 years and didn’t know things to do on other parts of the island, so that was my goal,” Crager said.

Crager moved to the island from Wisconsin 21 years ago and described it as “culture shock” because she’d lived in cities her whole life.

“It’s an island. There isn’t anything to do,” she recalled thinking. But over the past few years, she has compiled a long list of exciting activities, most of which she participated in herself.

She went on hikes and loved eating her way through the Mussel Festival in Coupeville. She tasted the coffees listed in the book and discovered the local gem of Shanty Fest. She even braved the frigid water to participate in the Polar Bear Dive.

“But I didn’t do the marathon,” Crager said with a laugh.

“There’s a lot to do, a lot more than people realize,” Crager said, adding that the activities in her book aren’t just events but everyday activities like golfing, hiking and catching a movie at the Blue Fox Drive-In theater.

Testing the events to make sure they’d appeal to a wide audience took Crager a couple of years as events fell on the same days. But she said she met many people and had a great time.

“I didn’t write it just for me. I wrote it so that other people could find the things that interest them,” Crager said of her book. She worked to include a broad range of activities, from music and art to outdoor activities and food. “I think they’ll be surprised how many people are out there doing things they don’t know about.”

Crager found activities that span the entire island. If she found something fun to do in Oak Harbor, she looked for an equal activity on South Whidbey, and vice versa.

The book is divided by seasons and offers an index that divides activities by city. It also features a place to check off each completed activity, as well as add the date and notes, giving it a journal feel. Hiker symbols denote her perceived exertion level of each activity. The spiral binding allows the book to lay flat and the size is perfect for gloveboxes and backpacks, Crager said.

This is an active book packed with the necessary phone numbers and websites to get the ball rolling, along with more than 300 color illustrations and photos.

“I think what makes it nice is you have the photos but you also have the information to get things done,” Crager said. Crager took classes to learn how to put the book together herself. She chose fun clip art to complement scenic photographs and artwork, some of which was donated by local artists, as well as photos she took. The book is packed with historical tidbits and fun information.

“I wanted a scrapbook-y feel to it,” Crager said, pointing out her favorite clip art on the Mystery Weekend page: the chalk outline of a body and the crime scene tape.

“I had so much fun,” Crager said, smiling.

Something unexpected that Crager learned about her community is how many volunteers work to put these events together. For example, she deeply enjoyed Shanty Fest, which raises funds for local groups each year.

“It’s volunteer groups doing things for other volunteer groups,” Crager said, adding that the groups are so interconnected that she often found herself contacting the same people for different events.

Crager said she hit up her fellow Whidbey General Hospital paramedics fairly hard for photos and information. Crager originally studied journalism and worked for a newspaper in Wisconsin before becoming a paramedic, which she said is her true calling in life. She has been a paramedic at WGH for more than 20 years.

“I’m happy. Every once in awhile, I think, ‘I can’t believe I did it,’” Crager said, adding that it came together piece by piece, despite having to move all of her files to a different hard drive because they were so huge.

“So I’m hoping people really get out there and start experiencing more of Whidbey,” Crager said.

Next, Crager plans to write a similar book of kid-friendly activities.

“I hear that a lot: ‘What can I do with the kids?’ There’s so much going on!” Crager said.

“101 Things to do on Whidbey Island” costs $19.95, and $1 of each sale goes to the Christian-based charity Helping Hand of South Whidbey, which offers financial assistance to those whose lives and well-being are in danger. For more information about Helping Hand, call 360-221-7777.

For more information and to order a copy, visit www.101thingsonwhidbey.com. Find Whidbey Island 101 on Facebook to comment and add your own activities to the list.