When Mildred’s mother is hospitalized, her life takes an unexpected turn as her distant father, Strawn Wise, an American magician, steps in to care for her. To captivate his book-loving daughter, Strawn decides to take Mildred on a camping adventure in the famously challenging New Zealand wilderness. Together, they embark on the ultimate family bonding experience: a quest to discover the legendary creature called the Canterbury Panther.