"You don't understand," said Olly. "I want to do something important." "Important?" said Mr. Oyster. "Yes," Olly explained. "I want to help clean the bay like the blue crab and the barnacle and the sea cucumber and the sea urchin." There once was a young oyster named Olly who lived in the Chesapeake Bay. He loved to drift with the currents, but Olly had been traveling his whole life and wanted to settle down. He wanted to do something important--help clean the Chesapeake Bay. But what can a little oyster do? He doesn't have pincers or fingers or sharp teeth or legs and feet. Journey under the...

When Charley's grandfather died, his old houseboat comes to the family marina on Kent Island, Maryland. Dad is angry at the condition of the boat and the fact that his father has squandered his jewel collection. Charley finds more than memories onboard the houseboat. When the spirit of Grandfather appears and asks him to retrieve three items, Charley complies, even though he doesn't know the worth or meaning of his mission. What he uncovers is surprising proof of the depth of Grandfather's secret. Middle grades-ages 8-12.

A young diamondback terrapin, Jemma, responds to the migrating animals by catching a bit of the travel bug herself. Engaging text and 16 watercolor illustrations follow Jemma as she leaves her familiar cove and swims into the open waters of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. Crab traps and boat propellers make this adventure more dangerous than Jemma ever anticipated. Fortunately, the young diamondback's travels end happily when she discovers a sheltered inlet and joins the terrapins living there. This fact-based story highlights the real dangers diamondback terrapins must confront to survive, and...

Mallory is a very forgetful duck. She can't remember where she left her nest. She sets out along the Chesapeake Bay to find it, but soon stumbles upon a nest that is NOT her own. Along her journey Mallory meets several mother birds, including a Canada Goose, an Osprey, a Great Blue Heron, and an Oystercatcher. Each of their nests is made of different materials, has a distinctive clutch of colorful eggs, and occupies a different habitat. But will Mallory ever track down her own nest and her own eggs? Follow Mallory the Forgetful Duck in her quest to find her nest and find out why her own eggs...

Olly the Oyster is ready for an adventure. So when Mr. Oyster tells him about the wonders of the Chesapeake Bay, he sets off to see them. Following along with Olly, kids will learn about some wonders that fly, like the Great Blue Heron, a symbol of the Bay; some that shine at night, like the Cape Henry Lighthouse; and even a wonder where you can find fossils of crocodile teeth--the Calvert Cliffs. As Olly meets and chats with new friends like fiddler crabs, barnacles, and rockfish, he learns about the creatures, people, and places that form the community of the Chesapeake. Olly the Oyster...