Heroes of the Water Monster

Description: Edward and Nathan, two Navajo stepbrothers, work with a young water monster named Dew to confront their past and save the world from a monstrous, enormous Enemy that is stealing water from all of the Navajo Nation.

Brief description:

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.

Review Quotes:

"The second installment in the "Healer of the Water Monster" series is a fantastical blend of action, Navajo lore, and familial relationships. Readers will be engaged in the fascinating Navajo legends and characters that Young has populated throughout the novel. Young deftly touches on a number of tough topics like climate change, generational trauma, and divorce in a manner that is insightful and age appropriate. An immersive and heartfelt story that tackles tough topics with grace." - School Library Journal

"Thought-provoking and full of heart; a genuinely pleasurable read." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Navajo author Young interweaves the atrocities of the Long Walk, Navajo traditional beliefs, and modern issues of climate change and water consumption in an action-filled adventure featuring two appealing Indigenous protagonists. Young readers are faced with big questions about identity, justice, and inherited trauma." - Horn Book Magazine