Using the author's own drawings and a handwriting script, the book describes how a happy child living in a contented house became fearful of ants invading the house until the happy child retreated in fear to some hiding place unknown to the house. The house tried to seal all possible entrances so the ants could no longer threaten the child, but the child still did not return, and the house grew more silent and cold, failing to attend to its needs. A heavy storm finally jolted the house into the realization of its sad state of repair, and it sought the help of a carpenter, who advised the house on the repairs it needed. When the house confided in the carpenter about the ants and the hidden child, the carpenter discovered that the ants, far from having been dispelled from the house, were busy gnawing on the woodwork, eroding the structure of the house. Together the carpenter and the house found the nesting place of the ants and worked until the last one was killed. The rebuilding process, however, was long and painful. The child returned out of hiding to encourage the house in its rebuilding.