Michael Vey is the 14-year-old main character who has the power to electrically shock people just by touching them. He discovers that his friend Taylor also has electric powers over the mind. They learn they are not alone when the villainous Hatch, who runs a school to train electric children, kidnaps Taylor and Michael's mother in order to force Michael and Taylor to join him. With the help of Michael's friends Ostin and two former bullies, Michael mounts a rescue attempt to save his mother and Taylor from Hatch's plans to use the electric children to take over the world.