When eight‑year‑old Tistou is sent home from school because he cannot stop falling asleep during lessons, his father decides that the best way for him to continue his education is through observation of real life, beginning in the garden. Under the guidance of gardener Mr. Moustache, Tistou discovers that he has a remarkable gift: everything he touches causes plants to grow. His next teacher is the stern Mr. Turnbull, manager of his father’s armament factory, who takes Tistou on a trip to the town to learn about “order.” During the following days Tistou visits the town prison, the slums, and the hospital, using his extraordinary power to try to improve the world around him. Finally, he learns about war, and when he returns to his father’s factory he discovers that they supply weapons to the two countries engaged in conflict.