Note: Uncertain relation to the 1966 text (See the variant title record for more information.) "Although his first book was not his best, it inspired Selden to write The Garden under the Sea (1957), later reprinted as Oscar Lobster's Fair Exchange. In this well-received book, animal characters use humor and witty dialogue to satirize human behavior." --Biographical Sketch, George Selden Papers, de Grummond Children's Literature Collection (USM.edu, above)

Synopsis: "An animal story in the tradition of The Wind in the Willows takes Long Island Sound for its quiet setting and the sea creatures around Turtle Rock for its lively and opinionated characters." Its point of departure is "the disgraceful collecting being done by the shore people. When the sea creatures decide to retaliate and make a garden of their own with human relics, the principle that is learned by everyone, including Janet and Howard, the children on shore, is that one must not salvage for loot alone." --KirkusReviews.com (contemporary, positive, above) "When people take too many shells and stones from Crescent Beach, a lobster and his underwater friends decide to retaliate." --summary, WorldCat record of the 1966 ed., OCLC 1403792