The creatures were never supposed to be real. When monstrous beetles erupt from the earth outside their schoolhouse, three young friends are thrown into an adventure that will test everything they believe about courage, loyalty, and what it means to be a hero. Jamil is three feet tall with a slingshot and a big heart. Cathou is a young gryphon who can't fly, doesn't guard treasure, and can't live up to his family name. Jamae is Jamil's fierce older sister who proves that the bravest thing you can do is stand up when everyone tells you to sit down. When their beloved teacher, Mr. P — a fussy, horn-polishing faun who'd rather grade papers than go on a quest — vanishes into the earth on a mission to find a legendary healing flower, the three friends must battle ogres, outsmart a venomous lizard, and rescue a doctor in a box. Along the way, Cathou discovers that courage is what happens when you afraid and you act anyway, Jamil learns that being small doesn't mean being powerless, and Jamae faces down enemies that grown-ups are too afraid to fight. But deep underground, Mr. P faces something more dangerous than any monster — the voices in his own head that tell him he's not enough. To find the Flower of Healing, he'll have to sacrifice what he values most. To save the world, he'll have to keep a promise to those he loves. Some things are worth falling for. --- Told through the warm, witty voice of Aria — Mr. P's daughter and a teacher herself — The Healing is a middle grade fantasy adventure woven with vocabulary-building "Aria's Notes" that invite young readers to learn as they journey through the world of Scoon.* Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Fablehaven, and Wings of Fire. Book 1 of a new series Ages 8–12 Approximately 48,000 words