There are days when everything goes completely wrong. Days when you feel that something serious is about to happen and that, after that, nothing will ever be the same again. The story I am about to tell begins on such a day.

The protagonist appears, his name is Harold Philip Snipperpott, he is almost seven years old and what he wants most in the world is a birthday party. His first birthday party, because he has grumpy parents who hate parties and guests. So Harold gets sadder and sadder, so sad that even his parents seem worried. The solution? Call Mr Pontius, the world's greatest problem solver.

Thus begins a series of disasters that, apart from the house and the guests, will affect the whole neighbourhood and end in a surprising and delicate way, in the best Beatrice Alemagna tradition.