At the end of an amazing summer on River Island, Zak, age 11, decides to write his life story – how he was born flying, learned to talk with birds and animals, and has just experienced all kinds of mysterious adventures on an island in a vast river between Canada and the US. On the island he discovers the wonder of ‘zing’, and meets Sh’krump the squirrel and Laloune the owl, who teach him the ways of nature, and guide him through unexpected and hair-raising situations.