For Amy Henderson, 1973 has been a lonely year of too many awkward moments to count--that is, until she helps rescue an injured seal pup. To help save Pup, she forms an unlikely alliance with a questionable boy in a worn-out army jacket, and a peculiar older woman the kids in town call "Old Coot." Amy finds that people aren't always what they seem, as she nurtures Pup back to health with the help of Craig and Miss Cogshell, while trying to hide Pup from the harbormaster and a group of nosy popular girls who have their eyes on Craig. Just as Amy starts to feel at home with her newfound friends, she must face an unexpected challenge that could change the future of her town, and her own life as well.