Rowan Kenton is the son of a wealthy Boston Congressman. He's also a 15-year-old genius who is studying pre-law at the University in Boston. His desire to become a legal advocate for the poor is admirable, but, as his father points out, involves a reality far outside his sphere of understanding. Acknowledging his ignorance, Rowan decides to run away from home and live penniless and alone on the streets of lower Manhattan for one year to obtain a different - and more realistic - education in the harsher aspects of life. Survival will depend on his heart, determination, and basic love for others. What he learns will either make him strong - or destroy him completely.