Sophia develops a fear of small creatures, which is strange because, in the past, she had enjoyed finding small animals, such as caterpillars and tadpoles, and keeping them as pets.

She and Grandmother find a bulb that has washed up on shore, and when they dig a hole to plant is by the house, Sophia cuts an angleworm in half with the spade. Grandmother explains the two halves will grow back and says someone should write a book about angleworms. Sophia wants to write the book but struggles with spelling, so Grandmother offers to write while Sophia dictates.

In the first chapter, Sophia discusses that smart worms make themselves skinny so they are hard to put on hooks and that it cannot be known how painful it is for an angleworm to get cut in half. She explains that the two halves of a severed worm know life will always be different, and the tail end must decide whether to grow a new head or tail. Sophia also suggests the head end appreciates the freedom of not having the back end.

The second chapter of Sophia’s book is entitled “Other Pitiful Animals” and in it she scorns the creation of small animals.