Life is like a big mystery and you can't get enough of it. At least that's what Krümel finds, who lives in the Threewishforest by the sea. All sorts of strange creatures are at home there: Mr Purzelbaum, who collects tin can labels, Uncle Giggel and Aunt Ziep, who bottle the year, Krümel's friend Hopsa, who knows all about watching clouds, and - oh! - so many others that it is impossible to list them all.

Full of enthusiasm, Krümel sets out to discover the world. And the things he finds out in the process! That words can be quite strong, even stronger than fear. That laughter sounds the same in all languages. That memories are something like a map. And when Neenee, the little blue elephant, lies motionless on the window sill, Krümel has to face even the most frightening of all words: dead.

But fortunately there is his dad and mum and above all his friend Hopsa, with whom he can talk about everything. Because when you're little, you have an awful lot of questions: Who am I? Why is the sea called sea? Does strawberry ice cream taste the same for everyone? How do you speak foreign language? And above all: What on earth is a Schnatzelschnapf?