Nine-year-old Barry Bennett is dissatisfied with his life. He finds his parents boring, overprotective, and, to top it off, they named him "Barry." One day, after wishing aloud for better parents, Barry is transported to an alternate universe called United Kid-dom, where children have the power to choose their parents. In this world, Barry explores various parental options, each more eccentric than the last, including the posh Rader-Wellorffs, the athletic Fwahms, and the celebrity couple Vlassorina. Through these experiences, Barry learns valuable lessons about family, identity, and the importance of appreciating what he has.