Michael Ende's "The Neverending Story" was published in 1979, ranked on the bestseller lists for almost 60 weeks, and still captivates readers of all ages around the world today. In it, Bastian Balthasar Bux is constantly teased by his classmates and therefore often and gladly escapes into the world of books.

One day, when he has to hide from his tormentors on the way to school, he accidentally ends up in an old used bookstore. There, Bastian discovers a book that has an almost magical attraction for him: It is The Neverending Story. Bastian can't help himself; impulsively, he steals the book, hides with it in the attic of his school, and begins to read.

The book tells of the land of Fantastica, which is in great danger. Ever larger parts of the land are being swallowed by the Nothing, and its ruler, the Childlike Empress, suffers from a mysterious illness that no doctor can cure. All hope rests on the young Atreyu, who is sent through the decaying Fantastica to find a human child who can give the Childlike Empress a new name: For that is the only thing that can save her and Fantastica now...