When a near-fatal car crash leaves them trapped in a snowy wasteland, Thomas and Alice Never finds themselves dragged kicking and screaming into a vast new world. They've accidentally found a bridge between their world and the Library, and if they're ever going to get home, they'll need help. Fast. Encountering a strange old magician with a distinctly British accent, Thomas begs for help as he searches for his family in the Library. The magician, a man named Carstairs, agrees to do what he can. However, Carstairs lives in fear of a powerful creature that lives in the Library. As the search for Thomas and Alice's parents continues, the Angel begins to call out... Meanwhile, Alice has met an angry girl named Table and a small, elf-like creature named Nodby. They set out to cross the great river that flows through the heart of the Library, before attempting to pass through the Valley of Dead Books. Soon, however, they're trapped in a tomb, and their attempts to reach the city of Papyr look to have been thwarted.