Throughout civilization, books have been revered. They crystallize knowledge, link the past to the future, and convey thought itself. To protect all sorts of written texts, a man known as the Magus of the Library established the Central Library in Aftzaak—the City of Books.

In the slums of the desert village Amun lives Theo Fumis, a young boy who loves to read. Unfortunately, people from the slums are unable to use the local library. To make matters worse, he is continually bullied by his peers due to his unusually long ears. Seeking to escape from his miserable living conditions, he dreams of one day going to Aftzaak.

His unpleasant daily life is soon interrupted by the arrival of the Kafna—elite librarians skillful enough to work at the Central Library. Sedona Bleu, one of the Kafna, lends Theo her most cherished book; however, due to unforeseen circumstances, he is unable to finish reading it by the time the Kafna have to depart. Fortunately for Theo, Sedona renews his loan, giving him yet another reason to go to the City of Books.