Ten-year-old Vanessa has learned a shocking truth: she was adopted, and her real father lives in a faraway city. He gave her a special necklace as a present before she was born. Longing to find him, she sneaks away from her village in the middle of the night. Along the way Vanessa meets many new friends, including a young girl in a neighbouring village, a flying tiger named Acara, and a bubbly teenager named Brianna who offers her a warm welcome...