Moon Blake is ten years old when he has to bury his Pap. They've been living in the forest of Alabama, hiding from the government. Moon has had only had his Pap for human company. Pap tells him to head for Alaska to find other people living the survivalist lifestyle. Thus begins Moon's adventure into the real world he is not too sure about. Moon is smart, can read and write, and can whip up on any body. The local constable, Sanders, trys to bring Moon into "the system" (the governemnts way of dealing w/ orphans). Moon makes some friends along his way and finds out maybe his Pap wasn't quite right about some things.