Smudger Moore is a 13-year-old boy with blonde hair and blue or grey eyes. He lives with his parents and his younger sister, Kylie Moore, who sometimes wears her hair in buns. His father, Ron Moore, runs a bakery struggling under government restrictions that ban sweet pastries, leaving Ron depressed and listless. Smudger's mother, Tricia Moore, works to hold the family together despite these pressures.

Smudger is impulsive, outspoken, and courageous, often acting recklessly without considering consequences. Though selfless, his actions frequently lead to unwise choices. His life is complicated by his father's failing business, his annoying sister, the government's chocolate ban, and his romantic feelings for a girl named Louise Bubby. He competes with his best friend, Huntley Hunter, for Louise's attention, especially hoping she might give him a Valentine's Day gift.

Frustrated by the chocolate prohibition and after discovering a secret chocolate operation with Huntley, Smudger joins an underground resistance. Initially motivated by getting chocolate for himself and Louise, his commitment deepens after witnessing government suppression tactics. He progresses from bootlegging chocolate to active participation in organized rebellion.

Within the resistance, Smudger works closely with Huntley, eventually gaining support from Louise and his sister Kylie. Their activities escalate from covert chocolate sales to direct revolutionary acts, culminating in a mass uprising demanding chocolate legalization and government overthrow. Smudger participates in seizing broadcasting facilities to transmit resistance messages, evolving into an active agent of change.