Two families. Two children. Both are living in one New York City apartment. One child is largely ignored except when put on display for grown-ups. The other is over protected and feeling a little stifled by all the adult attention. The two come together, one human, one beetle, when a pen and ink drawing set comes into their lives. The boy gets the credit for the artistically talented beetles drawing and from there the two become good friends trying to solve the case of a stolen painting.