Max Beetle is 12, short and has never won a fight. There is every possibility he won't survive long enough to reach eighth grade. He is the most unlikely of heroes. He lives with his mom and dad and his baby sister Charlie. He is a decent gamer and loves anything that has to do with aliens, outer space, giant spiders, robo crabs and landscape devouring rhinos from Nonedar. His best friend is Frankie Bone, the grandest girl that ever sucked air and an all-conference soccer star. With only two more weeks left to the end of school suddenly things get weird. A stranger has appeared in the neighborhood. When he abducts Frankie, Max and an unlikely band of losers set out to rescue her.