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.

Historical Context & Significance

Armer drew on years she spent living among and studying the Navajo people in Arizona.