The Boy from Somewhere Else — Michael de Guzman

According to the adults who rule his existence, the boy is guilty of asking questions, of wanting to live his own life, of being a misfit. At the age of twelve, he's sent on a mission that he must complete if he is to move on with his life. When he returns home, he's judged a failure. He's adjusted and sent off to work in a garbage dump for the rest of time. His daring escape returns him to the land of his mission. His arch enemy pursues him. The boy knows that if he's caught, he'll be taken back and turned into illuminated drool. Instead of hiding, he risks it all to find the human who means the most to him.