Jorel's brother has low grades in art education and Mr. Edson helps him by giving private lessons with the largest encyclopedia in the world. Jorel's brother embarks on a surreal adventure within the book and meets Vicente Van Gogh, the greatest painter and worst salesman of all time. Jorel's brother is willing to help his new friend find the stolen ear by traveling through various periods of history within the encyclopedia until he finds a very talented suspect: Beethoven.