All Erin Mallory wants for her thirteenth birthday is a normal gift. When her quirky dad, known for his outlandish presents, shows up with a blinking dishwasher-sized box as a gift instead, Erin isn't just disappointed, she's also confused.
The box seems silly at first; a press of one of the colorful buttons reveals sweet snacks for Erin to munch on. But then things start to get weird: the family backyard turns into a snowy New York winter (when it's springtime in Michigan), Erin and her brother wake up in a-literal-nightmare, and the talking dog the Mallorys met in 2145 won't stop making snarky remarks. And what's worse is that not one of the Mallory family members knows how to get back home.
As Erin, her brother Max, and their parents suddenly find themselves in new dimensions full of holograms, ten-foot-tall lions, and teleportation holes, the family must work together to discover the secrets-and dangers-of the box. Only then will they be able to return home.
While it might not be the gift she wanted, it's certainly a birthday Erin won't ever forget.