When Nick runs away from his uncle's during a blizzard, he takes shelter with Zachariah Smallbone, the owner of Evil Wizard Books. There he gets warm shelter, food, the company of pets, and a grumpy old man who won't let him leave. Meanwhile, a real evil wizard and his pack of biker coyotes are trying to breach the town's border that is protected by magical Sentries. The elderly Zachariah doesn't know what to do, so Nick sets about learning magic from the bookstore to save himself, the old wizard, and the town.