A storm forces frightened Richard Tyler (Macaulay Culkin) inside a nearby library for shelter. There Richard is transformed into an animated illustration by the Pagemaster. He has to work through obstacles from classic books to return to real life.
Pessimistic Richard Tyler lives life based on statistics and fears everything. But one day, Richard enters a library to escape a storm only to be transformed into an animated illustration by the Pagemaster. Through his experiences in the pages of the legendary books, Richard confronts his phobias and learns to face life more courageously.