Leif's older brothers and sister have already struck out on their own, leaving Leif alone to carry on the family farm. Leif loves their remote farm on Crane Creek and the life it offers, but Pa is relentlessly harsh and demanding, always finding fault and humiliating him. When Leif makes a trek into town in the dead of winter to procure supplies, he meets Anna, a distant neighbor, and together they dream of making a life as farmers. If only his father weren't so hard to deal with. Leif discovers an old broken-down shay that he plans to fix up and surprise Anna with, but Pa ridicules him and calls it a waste of time. Pa's attitude finally provokes Leif to escape to the big city, where his sister lives, to find his way. What he discovers there and what he learns about himself enables him to do what has to be done. Leif's Journey is the story of a young man struggling to find his way ... with his father, his new love, his need to venture forth and explore a wider world, and, ultimately, to manhood.