Jeremy Thatcher is a young boy who is frustrated by his inability to draw a dragon in art class. His frustration is compounded by his unpleasant art teacher, Mr. Kravitz, who humiliates him in front of the class by reading aloud a note from a girl, Mary Lou Hutton, who announces in the note that she plans to kiss Jeremy after school. However, Mr. Kravitz doesn’t reveal the name of the note’s author, and Jeremy knows that this is because Mr. Kravitz does not want to upset Mary Lou’s father, who is on the school board.

After school, Jeremy and his friend Specimen, or “Spess,” talk about how Jeremy wants to be an artist and lament the fact that his art teacher is his biggest critic. They also talk about the upcoming spring art contest, which Jeremy is eager to win, especially now that he is in sixth grade and is eligible for the top prize. They are interrupted by Mary Lou, who is still determined to kiss him. To escape her and two bullies named Howard Morton and Freddy the Frog Killer, Jeremy runs through unfamiliar streets. Suddenly, he comes across a mysterious shop called Elives’ Magic Supplies.