In 1976, Elizabeth, an average suburban 11-year-old, is praying for adolescence to arrive. Her idol is Dolly Parton and she wants to be just like her. Although women's lib is beginning to change the frame of family life, her parents Marion and Phil are typical parents, a stay-at-home mom and a working dad. When Elizabeth realizes she was adopted, she decides to find her real mother. She gets dressed up just like her idol and runs away, with Marion...

Max has an active imagination, but will throw a fit if others don't go along with what he wants. Following an incident with his sister Claire and her friends, Max throws a tantrum when his mother pays more attention to her boyfriend than to him, and runs away from home. wearing his wolf costume. Max not only runs away physically, but runs toward a world in his imagination. This world, an ocean away, is inhabited by large wild beasts, including Carol,...