Theo's Odyssey

An advanced student who loves computer games and ancient mythology, 14-year-old Theo is diagnosed with a mysterious terminal illness. But instead of withering away in his bedroom or a hospital ward, Theo is sent off to travel the world with his eccentric and enlightened Aunt Martha. Rather than a generic tour of the world's greatest sights, Theo's aunt takes him on a pilgrimage to learn about the world's greatest religions--from Sufism to Islam to Taoism to the Southern Baptist denomination of Protestantism. Clement's rich storytelling guides Theo through an informative and deeply touching journey as he begins to understand others' relationships with God, as well as his own. Beneath the surface, this is a spiritual love story, one in which the love of family, a girlfriend, and God sustains and heals a dying boy. --Gail Hudson