Rattlesnakes, howling coyotes, sudden earthquakes and time warps jar the Lewis family in their new home, and all the bizarre incidents seem linked to the Hellenbecks, their weird next-door neighbors.

When Alan Webster's parents tell him that they have to move, the 17-year-old student is understandably upset - but not nearly as much as when he learns their destination is the planet Alturus, 85 billion miles away.