Jacob learns during the last week of school that he must decide on a problem to fix over the summer, fix it, and then write a report about it. When summer is over and school begins again, Jacob and his fifth-grade classmates will all have to make presentations about their summer projects.

Jacob's friends introduce Jacob to Mimi and The Goal House. There, he and his friends learn how to set a goal and overcome obstacles as they race against time over the summer to complete their projects.

Throughout it all, Mimi and the Goal House are indispensable to Jacob and his friends, who need a place to share their progress and a mentor who will help them be successful.