Healer of the Water Monster
Written by Brian Young
Narrated by Shaun Taylor-Corbett
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
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.
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.
More audiobooks from Brian Young
Heroes of the Water Monster Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Little Bit Super: With Small Powers Come Big Problems Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Healer of the Water Monster
Related audiobooks
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sea in Winter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cece Rios and the King of Fears Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Root Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anya and the Dragon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Show Me a Sign (Show Me a Sign Trilogy, Book 1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Can Make This Promise Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding Junie Kim Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ophie’s Ghosts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Breadcrumbs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Jumbies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Snake Falls to Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Quintessence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Last Gate of the Emperor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ghost Squad Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Year I Flew Away Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Samosa Rebellion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Other Side of Luck Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Where the Black Flowers Bloom Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Each of Us a Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Moonflower Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lechuza Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Josephine Against the Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Game of Fox & Squirrels Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Accidental Apprentice Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rise of the Jumbies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Jumbie God's Revenge Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Children's For You
Series of Unfortunate Events #1 Multi-Voice, A: The Bad Beginning Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mockingjay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anne of Green Gables Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Secret Garden Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Catching Fire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Series of Unfortunate Events #2: The Reptile Room Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Refugee Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pax Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cinnamon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ground Zero Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bridge to Terabithia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fortunately, the Milk Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary: Thinking, Fast and Slow: by Daniel Kahneman: Key Takeaways, Summary & Analysis Included Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret Garden (dramatic reading) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Hold a Cockroach: A book for those who are free and don't know it Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Island of the Blue Dolphins Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mouse and the Motorcycle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5City of Ghosts (City of Ghosts #1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Cuentista Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Amari and the Night Brothers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Out of My Mind Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5New Kid Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Two Degrees Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The One and Only Ivan Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Velveteen Rabbit Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Healer of the Water Monster
41 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A great book that represents a sensitive Indigenous boy finding his place in the world. Holistic, unexpected, and informative.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Takes 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.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is such a beautiful and magical and emotional story i cant recommend it enough!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Tremendous 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.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This 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.