In a rural 1940s town, ten-year-old Rusty and his friends, Squirrel and Ivy, find that some new kids have taken over their swimming hole and won't leave.
Instead of settling for a ruined summer, the friends form a battle plan to try to win Crawdad Hole back. When their efforts fail—repeatedly—they must decide whether to acknowledge their selfishness and share the swimming hole they consider theirs.
Their decision to give peace offerings and ask for the other kids' forgiveness forges new friendships.