Child of the Wilderness

After moving to Billings, Montana, things are finally looking up for the Shannon family—Frank, Eileen, and their two children—nine-year-old Jimmy Lee and seven-year-old Jodie. But when Jimmy is unjustly accused of stealing a gold medallion from his father’s workplace, he runs away to the mountain wilderness. After being mistreated by his parents for years, Jimmy feels this is the best option for him.

Mr. Shannon organizes a search party to look for Jimmy. After two weeks of looking, the sheriff asks a local Indian tribe for its help. The two men assigned to the task find Jimmy’s tracks, and they follow them for days. At the end of the trail, they discover a large pool of blood where a fight has taken place. All signs indicate Jimmy was attacked by a wild animal, but no remains are found.

Meanwhile, with Bear, a wolf pup, Jimmy struggles to survive on what he knows, encountering an array of challenging situations—foraging for food, fighting off wild animals, braving the ever-changing weather conditions, and finding makeshift shelter. Like the mountain men in the 1800s, Jimmy survives by relying on his wits and wonders every day whether he will live or die.