Eli Benjamin Bear is born with a heart that needs immediate care. Whisked off to a human hospital for kids, Eli must survive this perilous journey armed only with a special blanket his mother gave him - imbued with his father's essential life lessons and her own farewell lullaby to bring him home safely. But Eli's hopes to return home quickly to his parents "skips a beat" when he must flee with his newfound friend Rascal, a mischievous (and always hungry) raccoon. They'll need all the help they can get to survive on foot through 600 miles of dangerous forest. And with winter and hibernation fast approaching, it becomes a race against DEEP SLEEP!