The children's home run by Joshi Ma in Songarh is where Maymo, an orphan girl, is raised. Maymo learns that she is a storyteller on her eleventh birthday and that she has tales waiting to be told inside of her. When Maymo violates the Story Law, she must flee the terrifying Story Sensors and finds herself in a strange school on the outskirts of a forest. No one is allowed to share stories at this school, and everyone consumes the awful food prepared in the canteens. However, Maymo gradually learns that there are covert pockets of rebellion. She and a few others are motivated to share stories because the kids want to hear them just as much as they want nice meals.