Lillebror, a mischievous and quick-witted boy, has just moved out of town and not made any new friends yet. One day he discovers a twig - Knerten - in a pile of firewood, and this becomes his imaginary friend. When Lillebror's mother gets a job in a general store and his father is out traveling as an underwear salesman, Lillebror has to manage on his own most of the day. With Knerten in hand, he encounters a new everyday rural life filled with colorful characters and challenges. But can a pine twig be a real friend - and can the family afford to stay in the run-down house?