The teenager Nicholas Borelli II lives with his parents in a typical US small town. His life is not very exciting, especially since his parents are overbearing with regard to germs and diet. He is to spend the summer holidays in a math camp, while his parents are working in Papua New Guinea. However, the camp does not take place. Seeing difficulty in getting Nicholas to Papua New Guinea, he is sent to spend the summer in Brooklyn, New York City, with his paternal grandmother Tutti and his uncle Frankie, both of whom he's never met.