For years, Abraham Portman (Terence Stamp) has told stories to his grandson Jake (Asa Butterfield) about his childhood surviving in World War II, battling monsters and living at a secret home for children in Cairnholm, Wales. According to Abe, the home's children and their headmistress Miss Alma Peregrine (Eva Green) possess paranormal abilities and are known as "Peculiars". When Jacob turns sixteen, Jake responds to a panicked phone call from Abe, and goes to his house to find him dying with his eyes removed. Abe tells him to go to "the loop of September 3, 1943". After Abe dies, Jake glimpses a monster exactly like the ones described in Abe's stories hiding in the forest..