Peter Brighton is being bullied by Ralph and he doesn't know why. The bullying happens on the bus, in school, and anytime the two happen to meet. Since Peter is too embarrassed to talk about it to his parents, the bullying continues. He feels like he has no one to confide in.That is, until Chockie comes along. Chockie is a fish who lives in an aquarium in Peter's bedroom. Although Peter is shocked at first when Chockie talks, soon the two become good friends. Chockie offers advice in his own quirky way and Peter uses that advice to gain confidence.However, Peter's world is shaken when he learns a dark family secret that has been hidden from him and only Chockie can help him makes sense of it all.