Sam has a special gift. He understands the languages of animals. This often gets him into trouble, especially when he frees his teacher's soon-to-be-dissected frogs, and Principal Kovich calls for his immediate expulsion. At their wits end, Sam's parents send him to New York City to the only person who can whip him into shape - Grandma Bondagucci. Come to find out, Sam and his grandma have more in common than they expected. And this comes in handy when it is up to them to find out who robbed the flamingos from the Bronx Zoo and zapped them into lawn ornaments.