Three runaway foster kids on a wild journey to rescue their little brother and reclaim their future.
An adventure story of tenacity, resilience, heartbreak, compassionate strangers…and family we make.
As their mother spiraled into addiction, Wolf, his sister Silver and toddler twins, Rowan and Raven lived on the streets and in shelters. After Rowan’s tragic death the siblings are split up in different foster homes and Wolf ends up in juvenile detention, the child welfare system failing them at every turn. When four-year-old Raven is abducted by their mom and her drug dealer boyfriend after her release from prison, they risk everything to do what the system couldn’t or wouldn’t do: find him before it’s too late.
Wolf’s anger and frustration became a force-field of determination as he plotted an escape from juvenile detention to save his brother. He teams up with Justin, a Native kid with car theft skills and a heartbreaking backstory. The original plan had Justin living on the streets after he boosted an RV for Wolf and Silver’s journey from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Yuma, Arizona. But, as their harried escape plan is in motion, Justin risks getting captured by the guards to ensure Wolf escapes, and their brotherhood is sealed. Wolf asks Justin to come along. When Silver runs from her foster home and meets up with Wolf, she makes it clear she doesn’t want Justin coming with them because she thinks he’s a tweeker. After Wolf’s heartfelt defense of Justin, including telling Silver Justin’s strange mannerisms are caused by Tourette’s syndrome, a new family is formed. Later, Silver and Justin bond over struggles with their ethnic identity. Silver: “Based on my hair and complexion, my dad must have been Black…but my mom would never tell me.” While Justin’s issue was even more confusing. “Always thought I was probably Mexican cuz all mom’s boyfriends was from Mexico… Then, CPS is telling me I’m Native and I’m off to live in a foster home on the rez.”
The emotional magnetism of Wolf’s determination attracted other allies along the way: A woman willing to take big risks; a mysterious, loner nomad who prevented a bizarre accident from turning deadly; and strangers willing to help kids who never had a childhood.
