Twelve-year-old Bastian Bux had lost the wonderful imagination he had as a child somewhere between growing older, watching TV and going to school. But when his mother dies suddenly, his imagination resurfaces. Bastian comes across “The Neverending Story” in a curious little bookstore. In this magical book, Bastian discovers an enchanted world called Fantasia, inhabited by dragons, dark knights, assorted heroes and villains. The great adventure begins when Bastian follows his alter ego, Atreyu, into a battle against the sinister force of The Nothing. It threatens to destroy Fantasia and its ruler, the Childlike Empress. Only Atreyu, a Woodland boy, can save her. Bastian’s experiences in the real world, such as his new tumultuous life with his dad, his problems with a school bully and his terror of a substitute teacher, are mirrored by Atreyu’s Fantasian experiences. Along with Atreyu, Bastian overcomes obstacles, learning important life lessons that help him to mourn.