Alabama Moon follows a ten-year-old boy named Moon Blake. Moon Blake was raised in the remote Alabama wilderness by his reclusive and enigmatic father, who has chosen to isolate his son from society for most of his life. They live off the grid and survive by hunting and gathering. Meanwhile, Moon's father, who distrusts the government and modern society, has taught him survivalist techniques. Moon, who knows nothing else, is content with his life. However, everything changes when Moon's father dies from a broken leg, forcing Moon to fend for himself.
Before he died, Moon's father asked him to travel to Alaska, where he could live among those who also wanted to avoid the government from interfering in their life. However, his journey is interrupted when he is placed into the foster care system after being caught by local authorities on his way up to Alaska. In the boys' home, he encounters the harsh reality of institutional life and meets two other boys, Kit and Hal, who become his allies. Together, they plan an escape so that they can live on their own.
After successfully breaking out from the school, the boys embark on a dangerous journey through the wilderness. Along the way, they must evade a determined constable named Sanders and survive the treachery of nature. But as Moon experiences more of life, he starts to question his father's beliefs about life and the government. This revelation comes to a head when Kit becomes seriously ill, and Moon must decide whether to let his friend die or get help from the society he was raised to hate. In the end, he chooses to help his friend.
The novel culminates in a dramatic confrontation with Sanders. His interactions with Sanders and his journey lead him to reconsider his worldview. While he once viewed the world in black-and-white terms, his experiences helped him recognize the complexities of society and the importance of human connection.
