It changed the course of WWII. In 1945, it was
stolen. Now a ten-year-old boy has found it,
and the government will kill him to get it.
When ten-year-old Hollis Whittaker picks up a strange medallion he
stumbled upon at the edge of a stream, he suddenly begins exhibiting
signs of brilliance, even discovering the solar system's Planet X and
astounding the astronomical community. The awkward, overweight
fifth grader with heart problems is an instant media sensation, but all is
not well. The genius-making medallion bonds to only one person for
life and the U.S. government has been searching for it since World War
II, which means they're prepared to kill Hollis to acquire it so they can
exploit the medallion's immense power.
After a thwarted hit job by two military agents, Hollis treks crosscountry
with the aid of his best friend Kirby and a Navajo woman,
Cha'Risa, whose family possessed the medallion-the Níłch'i-more
than seventy years ago. They are hoping Cha'Risa's aged grandfather
will be able to help them. Unfortunately, the whole country believes
she has kidnapped the boys, and the agents who are trying to kill Hollis
have the system on their side.