Stevie is off on holiday with his parents and his younger sister. On the beach, he finds a 'devil's toenail', a strange, weathered stone. He decides to pretend that it gives him special power, and hopes it will help him to do something to impress the gang he wants to join.Nothing goes as planned, but through the story, told in Stevie's own, distinctive voice, we realize why it's so important for him to be accepted by the gang - and why, ultimately, it's even more important that he rejects them.