Fleeing dark forces and unfounded accusations across Europe in the years between World Wars, a young man named Vango has been in danger for as long as he can remember. He has spent his life running along rooftops, fleeing to isolated islands, and evading capture across Russia, Paris, New York, and Italy. In the shadow of a rapidly changing world, can Vango find those who have hunted him for so long and uncover his true identity?

Joshua Pearl comes from a world that we no longer believe in-- a world of fairy tale. He knows that his great love waits for him there, but he is stuck in an unfamiliar time and place: an old-world marshmallow shop in Paris on the eve of World War II. As his memories begin to fade, Joshua seeks out strange objects: tiny fragments of tales that have already been told, trinkets that might possibly help him prove his own story before his love is lost...

Drawing on his experiences as a child, a parent, and an inner-city teacher in Paris, Pennac reflects on the power of story and on how we learn to read--what helps us and what gets in the way. He reminds us of our right to read anything, anywhere, at any time, as long as we are enjoying ourselves.

Several different animals settle in for the night, each with their own unique way of sleeping.