Georges Blanchard is revered in the small French town of Mireville both as a master serinette maker and for a miraculous incident in his childhood that earned him the title "The Sun-Bringer."

As his firstborn son, Henri Blanchard is expected to follow in his footsteps, but Henri would rather learn to make lace than music boxes.

When Henri discovers a stash of American letters in his father's drawer, he learns he's not the firstborn son of Georges Blanchard at all: Henri has an older half-brother born to one of Georges's American customers.

When he crosses the ocean to encounter his half-brother at last, Henri discovers that there's an entire world beyond Mireville—and there may be a perfect place for him yet.