A slovenly boy severely abuses the books in his household, leaving missing covers, torn pages, and other damage in such classics as The Brothers Grimm, Don Quixote, and Robinson Crusoe, among others. The books decide to escape, and flee en masse to the public library where they are greeted by a strong, stern, library catalog. They are repaired and put to bed to convalesce. When the boy discovers that all of his books are missing, he goes to the library to inquire about borrowing. The books recognize the boy, alert the library catalog, and - as the final illustration implies - fly off the shelves to chase or attack him.