Newbery Medal Winner
Waterless Mountain
by Laura Adams Armer
Summary
The novel follows Younger Brother, a Navajo boy growing up in the American Southwest who is drawn toward becoming a medicine man. Armer renders Navajo daily life, ceremony, and connection to the land with care, shaping a contemplative coming of age story rather than a plot driven adventure. The book reflects an early effort to portray Native American culture sympathetically for young readers.
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Historical Context & Significance
Armer drew on years she spent living among and studying the Navajo people in Arizona.