Jimmy Dabble lives a fairly mundane life on a farm with his uber-frugal and hardworking parents. Jimmy knows he's different from his mom and dad; he talks too much, and named each and everyone of the farm animals, (including all three-dozen sheep!) and he's teaching the animals to sing.

The arrival of his globe-trotting grandmother, Oma, and his friendship with an unusual creature he met in the dark woods add some excitement to Jimmy's life. Oma turns Jimmy on to books and adventure, while Jimmy's new friend helps him find his creative side. Soon Jimmy is doing his farm chores with a little more flair, much to his parents' dismay. But when the Dabble farm is threatened, it is Jimmy and his friends unconventional methods.