This is an informative story of a brother and sister who spend a day at the beach admiring shells. They find shells in a variety of shapes and colors, and compare each shell to objects that mimic their shape—butterfly wings, castle turrets, spiral staircases, tops, and more. Information is given about the mollusks that live in shells and about how shells are made.

Kids will immediately be caught by the idea that, "the oldest things you can collect are rocks." This simple geology book goes on to discuss the formation, hardness, types, and uses of rock. The coverage is cursory, yet it is sufficiently engaging to hold the interest of a young audience. Keller's illustrations, line drawings with watercolor washes, work well in showing the cross-sections of earth and volcanoes. Two children appear in many of the scenes, exploring a Roman road, finding fossils, mixing cement, and collecting rocks to store in boxes and egg cartons.

Examines tracks made by different animals in the sand.

Grandpa is a careful Caribbean fisherman, using his old dugout canoe and taking only what the sea can give. There comes a day when he can no longer compete with the power boats and their big nets. He casts about trying other work, but is unsatisfied. Knowing that seamoss, a local delicacy, is getting scarce, Grandpa successfully farms it. Although Grandpa does not join the organized religion of the rest of the family, there is a spiritual, conservationist message in his actions.

Read about what happens to marine animals, birds, fish, and beaches when there is an oil spill. Learn how environmental protection groups clean up afterward.