In "The Healer" by Peter Dickinson, the story unfolds in a fictional African village where the protagonist, a young boy named Abo, discovers his unique talent for healing. After the arrival of a mysterious white man who attempts to exploit the village's resources, Abo must navigate the tensions between tradition and change. As he embraces his role as a healer, he faces the challenge of preserving his culture while confronting external threats. Themes of identity, responsibility, and the clash of civilizations are woven throughout this poignant narrative, showcasing the power of community and the importance of heritage. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book is aimed at children at US 7th grade+.

This book has been graded for interest at 12 years.

There are 188 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 1999 by Laurel Leaf Library .

Peter Dickinson is the author of over fifty books for both children and adults. He was one of three British writers nominated for the position of the first Children's Laureate and he has won nearly every major literary award for his children's novels.