Arthur Penhaligon is a normal, everyday boy who suffers from asthma on Earth. One day while running for gym class he has an asthma attack and collapses on the ground. His friends Ed and Leaf, a brother and sister duo, stop to help him use his inhaler before hurrying to get the school nurse. When they've gone, Arthur watches two men appear in thin air and debate whether or not to give him the "key". Sneezer finally convinces Mister Monday to hand the key over explaining that once Arthur dies the key will revert to Monday and he can continue his work.
They give a minute-hand shaped piece of metal, presumably the key, to Arthur and disappear in a flash of light leaving behind a small book. He picks up the book and as Leaf and Ed come back with help Arthur passes out.
When he wakes up in the hospital Ed and Leaf tell Arthur about a strange old man pushing a young man in a wheelchair and several strange dog faced people. They are searching for the key, which has magically reappeared in Arthur's pocket, but can't find it. Leaf and Ed leave, promising to visit Arthur again.
Arthur goes home a week later, but his friends have yet to come and see him. He uses the key to open the book, titled "A Complete Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs" and learns that the strange building he passed on his way home (a new construction that wasn't there before) is called the House and is a realm outside of human Earth. Further reading reveals that the House has an entrance called "Monday's Postern". When the Fetchers (the strange dog like creatures Ed saw) come to Arthur's home the Key animates a ceramic Komodo dragon to save him.
The next morning, Monday, Arthur learns the reason behind Ed and Leaf's absence--their entire family is under observation for a virus that, according to Leaf, has the same smell as the Fetchers. No one else notices the smell, but Arthur believes her when things start to get weird at school. He hides in the library when Fetchers appear along with Monday's Noon. Noon is much stronger than the Fetchers and resists their weaknesses; when he tries to attack Arthur Noon sets fire to the Library and Arthur barely escapes with his life. Noon vanishes at one o'clock, but the Fetchers have taken the Atlas and Arthur must find salt to vanquish them and get the book back.
The smoke from the library fire starts to spell out a message telling Arthur to enter the House and he does. He uses the Key to open the door and discovers the House is the organization around which the universe is structured. Its purpose it simply to record and observe what happens through eternity. While adventuring through the House Arthur is in perfect health--allowing his adventures. He meets Suzy Turquoise Blue who was a child brought to the House by one of the immortal Denizens of the House: the Piper. She accompanies Arthur and helps him realize that he is the Rightful Heir of the Architect of the World; he must save the House and enact the Architect's original intention. In order to do this Arthur has to kill Mister Monday and take the second half of the first Key (the hour hand to match his minute-hand Key).
On the path to retrieve the Key, Arthur learns how the House was created, then fell into disrepair and how the Architect handed over the Keys to the Morrow Days. The Architect and her consort, the Old One, created the universe, but the Old One betrayed the Architect and was imprisoned. Many years later the Architect left the House giving the Keys to the Morrow Days: Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, Lady Friday, Superior Saturday, and Lord Sunday. But each of the Trustees embody one of the seven deadly sins and, instead of simply observing the universe, the Morrow Days began to interfere causing the House to disintegrate into chaos. The first part of the Will explains all of this when she follows Arthur on his adventures in the form of a frog.
When Arthur defeats Monday and obtains the rest of the Key the Will manifests itself as Dame Primus. She is not pleased when Arthur heals Monday rather than simply killing him, but takes over government when Arthur returns home. The book ends Tuesday, just after midnight when Dame Primus calls Arthur on his House emergency phone.
This first book in the Keys to the Kingdom Series sets up the House and conditions of Arthur's quest through it. The fantasy element of the House relies on its hodgepodge of different worlds and eras--steam and electronic technology right next to medieval weaponry and Victorian culture. Possibility is everywhere as Arthur is tries to find his place in the new world. The story is easily enjoyed by young readers, and while there is violence throughout the tale, it isn't as prevalent as n other stories for young adults.
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