Lottie's mother is forced to go on a long work trip, so Lottie moves in with her uncle. From noisy London to a quiet provincial town. Books in these towns often contain real wonders, and Lottie noticed the oddities almost immediately. For some reason, in her uncle’s pet store there are feeders and drinking bowls in empty cages. The parrot seems to be telling his uncle the correct words in a crossword puzzle. In addition to the most common black and white mice, the store also sells pink ones. And the dachshund Sophie seems to understand human conversations and has difficulty refraining from commenting. Is there really magic lurking here somewhere? Is it possible that Lottie's absent-minded and eccentric uncle is a wizard? And if so, then who is Lottie herself - a sorceress or an ordinary girl?