A stray cat narrates the story of the Willoughbys, once an adventurous and loving family for generations. The present-day Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby are too enamored with each other to care for their four children: eldest son Tim, who tries to keep his siblings out of trouble; middle daughter Jane, whose beautiful singing is silenced by her parents; and the inventive but “creepy” twin boys, both named Barnaby. After the siblings find a baby abandoned outside, their parents banish them from the house until they return without the child. They leave the baby, whom they name “Ruth”, on the doorstep of a candy factory and the owner, Commander Melanoff, takes her in.