Healer of the Water Monster

Written by Brian Young

Narrated by Shaun Taylor-Corbett

Brian Young’s powerful debut novel tells of a seemingly ordinary Navajo boy who must save the life of a Water Monster—and comes to realize he’s a hero at heart.

When Nathan goes to visit his grandma, Nali, at her mobile summer home on the Navajo reservation, he knows he’s in for a pretty uneventful summer, with no electricity or cell service. Still, he loves spending time with Nali and with his uncle Jet, though it’s clear when Jet arrives that he brings his problems with him.

One night, while lost in the nearby desert, Nathan finds someone extraordinary: a Holy Being from the Navajo Creation Story—a Water Monster—in need of help.

Now Nathan must summon all his courage to save his new friend. With the help of other Navajo Holy Beings, Nathan is determined to save the Water Monster, and to support Uncle Jet in healing from his own pain.

The Heartdrum imprint centers a wide range of intertribal voices, visions, and stories while welcoming all young readers, with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country and on the strength of young Native heroes. In partnership with We Need Diverse Books.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: May 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063087583

Brian Young

Author and filmmaker Brian Young is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He grew up on the Navajo reservation in Arizona. Brian earned his BA in film studies at Yale University and his MFA in creative writing at Columbia University. Brian currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews for Healer of the Water Monster

[Nikki · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great book that represents a sensitive Indigenous boy finding his place in the world. Holistic, unexpected, and informative.

[Becky Baumgartner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Takes you into the culture and beliefs and values of Navajo people (or at least as Young has decided is proper to share his people's stories and beliefs as he says in the note). Listening to this was beneficial to hear how the Navajo language is supposed to sound.

[Flynn Fullbright · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is such a beautiful and magical and emotional story i cant recommend it enough!

[jennybeast · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tremendous book! Great representation of Navaho culture -- consistent weaving of language throughout and respectful sharing of traditional stories. Nathan and the water monster are such great characters, and Young does a fantastic job telling the hard story of Nali and Uncle Jets' challenges and why and how traditional healing methods could help him. He captures the difficult tween relationship with parents that so many kids go through, especially when a parent is dating someone new. He paints a vivid and beautiful setting that is all the more appealing for the difficult parts -- boredom, outhouses, heat, gathering water. Great story, well told.

[salsabrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This young hero's journey is steeped in Navajo culture, tradition, language and story. Nathan is spending the summer with his grandmother or Nali. Because of his young age, Nathan can see and hear the Holy Beings and becomes key to helping them save Pond, a giant turtle slowly dying of uranium poisoning from a local mine. His journey to save Pond requires learning the water monster songs and entering the Third World to pass four trials and find the cure for Pond. Meanwhile, Nathan's Uncle Jet suffers from alcoholism and depression; Nali and Nathan do all they can to get Uncle Jet to a healing ceremony, or N'daa.