In this second volume of the Seaside and Wayside series, beginning readers make the acquaintance of a variety of life forms, such as barnacles and starfish that they are unlikely to have encountered before, and deepen their appreciation of some that are probably more familiar, including ants, flies, beetles, and earthworms. Whether the animals are new to them or not, they will come away from their reading with plenty of interesting stories to share about all aspects of these creatures' lives.

The primary purpose of the four volumes of the Seaside and Wayside nature readers is to teach children to read while teaching them something else of value. They develop thought, enlarge vocabulary, awaken fresh and healthy interests, direct the mind into new paths of study, and gratify that curiosity about his surroundings which every child by scores of questions shows.