Rather than stay with the mean, smelly Zielinskis, Shannon Simpson treks a hundred miles through the forest seeking her long-lost grandmother after her parents are hurt in a car accident. Finding Gran means finding her way safely through the woods with only a compass, her wits and a mysterious, possibly magical marra mamba stone to guide her. During her journey, Shannon faces bad weather, injuries, hunger, thirst, and lots of wild animals - some nice and some not so nice. And she uncovers secrets about her family and herself.