At age six, Ben MacDonald has the ability to communicate with animals better than he can with people. Then one June day in 1870, he wanders away from his family's farm to observe the wild creatures he loves. When he doesn't return home, his family begins a desperate search for him. As the days go by with no sign of Ben, the MacDonalds start to lose hope. How could a small boy survive on the prarie?

But Ben is alive. In a story that would seem incredible if it were not based on a true incident, Ben is found and adopted by a female badger who has recently lost her pups. Ben survives an extraordinary summer in the wild, learning to live like his badger mother. The powerful bond that develops between the boy and the wild animal tests the limit of Ben's human spirit and makes his story unforgettable.