Moving from a rural house to an urban apartment, Toby feels tiny and lost in the vast, crowded city filled with unfamiliar sights and sounds. His moms try to comfort him, but their bedtime tradition of looking at the night sky together just makes Toby angry -- because the city lights hide his beloved stars.

Without the stars, Toby isn't able to sleep and in his restless state he discovers a lion wandering in a mysterious jungle that has overgrown the city at night. Only the North Star can guide the lion home. Together, boy and lion embark on an otherworldly, nocturnal journey through the city in search of the star. Along the way they befriend other lost animals, each helping Toby to name and process his feelings about moving to the city.

When, at last, Toby finds the North Star, he realizes that even if he can't see the stars, they will always be there for him. Comforted by this thought, Toby returns from his adventure ready to make a new home in the city.