It's 2008, and ten-year-old Montgomery "Monty" Carver is out to find the origin of a golden key found in his South Side Chicago community--which may or may not host the next Olympic games, or supply the next President of the United States, or...have a potential ghost hanging around.

In 2008 Chicago, in the Southside community of Washington Park, Montgomery "Monty" Carver finds a golden key in the flower garden of scary Old Lady Jenkins. Monty is struggling to prove he's old enough to be without adult supervision (and secure a perfectly round fro). That's why he must unravel the mystery of the key all by himself--not with Alex and Jaron, and definitely not with his parents, thank you very much. Besides, he's ten years old now.

Soon Monty's hunt to determine the origin of the key leads him to discover the rich history of his community, which is speculating about its future because one of its residents, Barack Obama, is running for President. Having that Obama around fine for Monty. More than one girl his age has commented on how much he looks like him. Monty's community is also weighing the pro's and con's of building an Olympic stadium for the 2016 games.

Adding to the roar of big things happening in Monty's world, there is a rumor going around that a ghost is playing pranks on his apartment building. So much to solve! Will his community's world change if Obama is elected? Or, if the Olympics come to Southside? Is there really a ghost? And where, oh where, did the key come from anyway? Monty is determined to find out.