Twelve-year-old Josh Baskin is told that he is too short for a carnival ride called the Super

Loops while attempting to impress a girl. Dejected, he inserts a coin into an antique fortune-teller
machine called Zoltar, and makes a wish to be "big". It dispenses a card stating "Your wish is
granted", as Josh discovers the machine has been unplugged the entire time.

The next morning, Josh discovers that the Zoltar machine can actually make wishes come true, as
he has grown physically into an adult. He tries to locate the machine, but finds that the carnival has
moved on. Returning home, he tries to explain his predicament to his mother, who panics and
chases him from the house thinking he is a stranger who has kidnapped her son. He then finds his
best friend Billy and convinces him of his identity by reciting a song that only they know. With Billy's
help, Josh learns that it will take at least six weeks to find the Zoltar machine again, so Josh rents a
room in a flophouse in New York City and gets a job as a data entry clerk at the MacMillan Toy
Company.

The Walking Piano, as featured in Big

Josh meets the company's owner, Mr. MacMillan, at FAO Schwarz, and impresses him with his
insight into current toys and his child-like enthusiasm. They play duets ("Heart and Soul" and
"Chopsticks") on the store's Walking Piano, and MacMillan invites Josh to a massive marketing
campaign pitch meeting with senior executives. Unimpressed with the toy being pitched, Josh
shocks and challenges the executives with a simple declaration that the toy is not fun, and while his
follow-up suggestions invigorate the team for new ideas, he earns the animosity of Paul Davenport,
the pitch's leader. Meanwhile, a pleased MacMillan promotes Josh to Vice President of Product
Development. He soon attracts the attention of Susan Lawrence, a fellow executive, and a romance
begins to develop, much to the dismay of her former boyfriend Davenport. Josh becomes
increasingly entwined in his adult life by spending time with Susan, mingling with her friends, and
entering into a steady relationship with her. His ideas become valuable assets to MacMillan Toys;
however, he begins to forget what it is like to be a child, and his tight schedule rarely allows him to
spend time with Billy.