Reviews with content warning for Death - Healer of the Water Monster

Overall a solid middle grade. Nathan would get on my nerves quite a lot, but I have to remember he is a child and I'm sure I was like him as a child many times. I enjoyed the journey and learning about Navajo culture. Some of it was pretty tough to read from an emotional standpoint like what Nali had to do for her son's ceremony and the ending with Pond. Those moments really stood out to me and I even teared up a little at the ending. The Holy Beings were super fun and I enjoyed their characters a lot.
For me it was a pretty slow start but wrapped up nicely.

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bbtea's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Spoiler-Free Review!

This book…it felt like it healed something within me. A perfect children’s book in my opinion, one that teaches themes that are important to learn when young, and ones that you can still take on as an adult. A beautiful experience that is a privilege to be able to read, this book is infused with Navajo teachings and mythology that should be respected and preserved. I highly recommend it to anyone of any age.

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spinesinaline's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This was a beautiful story and I think a powerful one for young readers.

I listened to the audiobook for this story and really enjoyed it! It’s a middle grade book about a young boy who, amidst some turmoil between his parents, decides to spend the summer with his grandmother when he comes across several Holy Beings.

I really appreciated the way the author includes a lot of real life challenges that kids could be going through: divorced parents, bullying, and in this case a family member who suffers from PTSD and alcohol addiction. There’s a lot of sadness in this story but I think the broad focus on healing and working through these issues could support a lot of kids in working through their own life challenges.

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gossamerchild's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A young Dine boy meets an ailing water monster and must travel to another world in order to save his new friends. The book touches on grief, divorce, alcoholism, and environmentalism. This is a beautiful and authentic middle grade book. Highly recommended.

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mandkips's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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loquaciouslibrarian's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Desperate to escape an awkward summer in Las Vegas with his father and his father's girlfriend, Nathan invents a science project that will keep him safely at his grandmother's home on the Navajo reservation for a month or two. His expectations of a boring summer are quickly overturned by the sudden appearance of his uncle and a surreptitious meeting with a Water Monster. This lovely middle grade novel centers the experiences of a modern Navajo boy and Navajo creation stories while also touching upon climate change, water pollution, and substance abuse.

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