Gerbils have long felt disrespected. Why? Because although they are much smarter than mice, they've never had as much publicity. There's no Mickey Gerbil at Disneyland-no gerbil Despereaux or Stuart Little. Gerbils have never starred in children's books wearing clothes, and living in well-furnished accommodation. That all changes when some proud, free gerbils meet Joe, a ten-year-old boy whose father is an inventor. And his latest invention is the Nanozap, a machine that can shrink things to gerbil size. Can the gerbils get their paws on this machine, and use it to raise their status to that of the fully-furnished mouse? Even if they might have to shrink Joe in the process?