"When we destroy the stories, we destroy every legend, every memory and every idea. And then not just the buildings, but the people and the past, present, and future will belong to us."

The little town of Crumbly Thickets is stuck in the past, but is still home to ten-year-old Petralina Bland. On her return from a summer holiday, she is devastated to find it is being changed and destroyed from within. If she is to protect the things she loves, she can no longer be the 'nice girl' her grandparents want her to be. To stand up to teachers, batty shopkeepers and powerful businesspeople, she must break free from mind-bending technology and the power of mysterious chocolates. A teenage rebel offers Petralina a hiding place in what turns out to be no ordinary bakery. It is here that the small comforts of kindness and cake turn into big adventures, which unearth the truth behind the power struggle in Crumbly Thickets. But is Petralina's new friend all that he seems? Can she rely on his friendship when she needs it the most?