Gifts from the Sea is a story of discovery and appreciation for the Sea. Aria, a little girl searching the shore with her grandmother, learns to look beyond the broken shells, to appreciate, and to "see" the stories the Sea reveals of her inhabitants, travelers, and visitors. Gigi teaches her granddaughter that the Sea is a place of beauty to be respected and cared for. Through looking at the wonders the Sea sends, Aria discovers that the most exciting gifts come from the tides.