Winner of the 1932 Newbery Medal
Younger Brother lives in a dry land, and he dreams of finding the wide water of the Pacific Ocean. This gentle coming-of-age story, rooted in the traditional culture of the Navajo, recounts Younger Brother's journey toward finding his vocation as a medicine man. Under the guidance of his uncle, the boy learns about the ancient songs, customs, and ceremonies of his people as well as the modern-day magic of movies and airplanes. Written in the 1930s by an authority on Native American life and lore, this Newbery Medal winner offers a vivid portrait of Navajo beliefs and traditions. Its simple but poetic storytelling style is enhanced by numerous black-and-white illustrations.---from the publisher
256 pages 978-0486492889 Ages 10-14
Keywords: Native Americans, diversity, diverse books, multicultural, heritage, coming of age, identity, finding yourself, understanding others, Navajo, traditions, beliefs, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, 13 year old, Newbery Medal, historical fiction, Social Studies Curriculum, respecting others
About the author: The first white woman to have a sand painting prepared in her honor and the first permitted to film the sacred Mountain Chant ceremony for distribution as a feature-length movie, Laura Adams Armer was a noted painter and photographer for many years until she turned her hand to writing. She published her first book, Waterless Mountain (1931), at the age of 57 and received both the Newbery Medal and the Longmans, Green & Company's prize for juvenile fiction.
