Finding Jericho by Dave Jeffery

This is the story of Jon. Owing to the death of his stepfather and his Uncle Ronald's rapidly declining mental health, he and his mother move in with Ronald to look after him. Bullied mercilessly at school because of Ronald - he makes a pact with a group of bullies and accepts a dare for them to leave him alone. One night he decides he has had enough and he rants and raves at Ronald. Ronald goes missing soon after but turns up at the local psychiatric hospital in a near catatonic state. Jon learns the only way to get through to Ronald is through his koala, Jericho, who has been missing for years. Can Jon find Jericho and restore Ronald or is all hope lost?

This was deep, profound and utterly moving. It is one of those books that leaves a piece of itself behind when you have finished reading. It is essentially a rites of passage story, as Jon comes to terms with his Uncle's illness and the effect that has on his life. Because of a supernatural event and a near death experience, he decides to try and help his Uncle by finding his koala, Jericho. The journey this quest took Jon on was a hard one but a satisfying one. I had tears in my eyes at the end. I recommend this totally.