Five years after the end of the American Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks), a veteran of three wars, now travels from one town to another as a newspaper reader, sharing exciting news from around the world with local residents. On the plains of Texas, he meets Johanna (Helena Zeger), a ten-year-old girl who was abducted and adopted by Kiowa Indians six years ago. Johanna is hostile to the world she has never experienced and is forced to be sent back to her aunt and uncle. Captain Kidd promises to escort the girl back to where she belongs according to the law. They must travel hundreds of miles in the harsh wilderness, and the two will face huge challenges from humans and nature as they look for a place they can both call home. The film is adapted from the novel of the same name by Paulette Giles.