Fed up with city life, 12-year-old Sam Gribley runs away from his crowded New York City apartment to live in the Catskill Mountains wilderness. Armed with only a penknife, a ball of cord, an axe, and $40, he must learn to survive by finding food, building shelter, and befriending the local wildlife. Over a year, Sam transforms from a city boy into a skilled woodsman, forging deep connections with animals like his peregrine falcon, Frightful, and discovering the challenges and profound rewards of self-reliance. His adventure becomes a test of independence and a celebration of living in harmony with nature.