Abstract:
Philip McGregor is so fat that everyone either stares or sniggers as he passes by. At school he goes by the name of Porky. The day he collapses in the school canteen and is rushed to the hospital marks the start of his new life. He's drawn to the hospital garden where a sunflower beckons him to come close and listen; it has a secret to impart to him, a secret that will empower and lead him to seven other teenagers from different continents who are each escaping their own conflicts, troubles caused by the dangerous lack of food security that threatens the future of the Earth. The kids are unexpectedly entrusted with secrets communicated magically by the Earth itself—through plants, animals, and birds. As Keepers, they are led to make incredible, yet precarious journeys, unaware of their destination, but the Food Masters are hot on their heels, ready to kill to keep those secrets hidden ....