William has been a part of the Stick family since the first day of school when Wrickety Stick became his best friend. He knows the secret about their unusual bones but he would never tell anyone. The Sticks' can make their bendable bones go soft and flat which means they can do amazing things like slide under doors, squeeze between cracks and float into the air. Wrickety invites William to go with him, his sister Cinnamon and his cousin, Licorice, to stay with their eccentric aunts, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Emerald and Aunt Sapphire, in the country. When the Sticks' dog, Smudge, goes missing, William is eager to join in the search. Things become urgent when the children discover that Smudge isn't just missing, he has been kidnapped and could be in danger of being mistreated at the hands of a cruel master. This is a sequel to William Meets the Stick Family.