One month ago, Ethan Sweet was a typical kid, playing baseball and building a backyard tree house. Three weeks ago, a call in the middle of the night changed his young life forever. Two weeks ago, Ethan's grandfather died, leaving The Sweet Family Licorice Company to him. Three hours ago, Ethan stood on the metal balcony overlooking the production floor of the factory trying to figure out how to keep his family's company from closing. Ten minutes ago, Ethan met the Squints, whimsical creatures who live inside the licorice-making machines. Ethan must save the Squints from extinction, save the company from closing, and save the town, who depends on this company for their livelihood. Ethan gets a little help from his best friend Joe and three-year sister Emma who thinks she's a real princess.

Flint Minett has keratoconus, an eye disease, but desperately wants to win a comic book art contest so that he and his new friend McKell Panganiban will be better accepted at middle school.