The town of Cantonsville has it's fair share of weirdness, such as the Man-Bat and the witch lady on the other side of the woods from where Minty and her best friend, Paz, live. One day Minty finds a strange tree that holds notes that tell the secrets of everyone in their neighborhood. At the same time, Paz seems to be distancing herself from Minty in favor of things like glittery nail polish and barrettes. Minty meets a new boy who knows about the secret-filled tree, and, like Minty, needs a friend. Soon the two are finding secrets by spying on their neighbors. But some secrets cannot be stuffed in a tree and forgotten.