Synopsis
For Sterling North, life in Brailsford Junction, Wisconsin, is defined by its tranquility and simplicity, a state he largely maintains through his dedication to caring for animals. With his mother confined to the hospital and his brother deployed to the Western Front, Sterling resides solely with his father and their dog, Hauser. One weekend, he deviates from his routine chores to go fishing with his friend Oscar and Hauser. While en route to the river, Hauser detects an unusual scent near the base of a tree. Upon discovering a raccoon’s nest, the boys uncover an orphaned kit. The kit’s mother has been killed by a passing hunter intending to craft a fur hat, forcing Sterling to take in and raise the abandoned animal. Although Sterling’s family is crumbling due to his brother’s presence in the trenches and his mother’s declining health, his connection to the world is sustained and reinforced by his relationship with his new companion, a mischievous ring-tailed wonder he names Rascal.