At twelve years old, Frankie Spril is driving his family nuts with his many fears: baseball bats, animals with hair, meat mixing with vegetables in stew, water deeper than six inches.

After Frankie is blamed for a tragic accident at Schuster's Lake because he's too terrified to swim, The Caretaker of the Universe, Miss Eileen, orders her overworked and underappreciated administrative assistant, Karl, to send a pair of his student guardian angels to help Frankie man up and learn how to swim. Unfortunately, the only two angels available are not particularly good pupils. So, in addition to conquering his fears, an already stressed-out Frankie must suffer falling in and out of love with the sweet angel who hasn't a clue how to help him, as well as surviving the menacing angel's attempts to drown him.

It could be a great year if Frankie can just keep his head above water.