Based on the book by the same name, the film tells the inspiring story of a 12-year-old boy, who, separated from his family by a fast moving storm, must fight to stay alive during his nine-day adventure lost in the backwoods of Maine.

Lea, an adventurous and free-spirited thirteen-year-old, lives in idyllic Upstate New York with her academic parents. On the day her family prepares to relocate to Houston, her life takes a drastic turn. Just before their departure, in a tragic misstep, Lea is goaded into a fight with fifteen-year-old Bill. Acting out of frustration, she gets hold of a gun and fires in Bill's direction, causing him to fall into a deep shaft. Without knowing what became of him, Lea is forced to leave with her family. Twelve years later... Lea, who has repressed the memory of those tumultuous events, is an emotional wreck. Her memories of that fateful evening slowly drift back and torment her.

Ex-con Francine has difficulty adjusting to life in a small lakeside town until she begins working with animals, though she finds herself growing increasingly isolated from the community and embracing forms of anti-social behavior.