How Are You Feeling Today, Theo Cody

Teenage lovers Theo and Dylan take off together on a road trip to San Francisco, but the journey is anything but a lark. For starters, Theo tried to commit suicide two months earlier. He is tortured by his alienation from his family, and the relationship between the two lovers is strained to the breaking point.

Interspersed with the action are flashbacks to Theo's past, as well as intense excerpts from his therapy sessions. His therapist, Dr. Melissa, always ends the hour by asking, "How are you feeling today, Theo Cody?" It's an excellent question, because the young man's moods and emotional states are mercurial and unpredictable.

Theo's emotional anguish is directly traceable to his family background: He was conceived while his mother was having an affair. As a result, he has always felt like an outsider, and those feelings were magnified when his mother abandoned him to help forget the infidelity. His only ally is his brother Jeff, who rescued him from the suicide attempt.

Zachary Ryan has woven all these elements into a story that will appeal to young adult readers, their parents, and all those close to them: a powerful tale of a young man's journey toward self-acceptance and forgiveness.