Twelve-year-old Kristoff Bjorgman is content. He loves his reindeer best friend, he loves his adoptive troll family, and he loves ice. But his mother, Bulda, can't help but worry. A boy his age needs to be around other children. Other humans. And so, she decides it's time for Kristoff to go to school. To his dismay, Kristoff doesn't relate to the other kids and, to make matters worse, Kristoff's childhood bully, Gustav, is one of his classmates and is meaner than ever.

Kristoff thinks things are finally looking up when he learns about the Polar Nights Festival’s first ever ice-harvester competition. If he can win the competition, he can show his classmates that he belongs and even win a brand new sleigh. With the trusty Ice Harvester's Guide to Ice manual by his side, Kristoff grows stronger and more excited about the upcoming competition, despite Gustav's efforts to sabotage him. But when the big day arrives and a storm rolls in that threatens the race, Kristoff will have to decide what's more important—winning it all or doing the next right thing to help his rival.