Meet Brian Young

author of Healer of the Water Monster

What is Healer of the Water Monster about?

Healer of the Water Monster is about a young Navajo boy, who loves video games and doesn't realize he is a hero until he has to heal a water deity from the Navajo creation story. It's also about the boy and his grandma doing a science experiment in the middle of the northern New Mexican desert.

What are your favorite books to read?

All of them! But I do reread Diana Wynne Jones and His Dark Materials. My absolute favorite series is Goosebumps! I love a good scare and the Goosebumps series always provided that for me.

Why did you write Healer of the Water Monster?

Because I wanted to share some of the traditional Navajo stories with young readers of all ages. I believe that these stories have important lessons that should be shared with many people. And also, they are powerful and exciting!

How do you write your books?

I actually struggle. I have a lot of energy and sometimes my concentration isn't on my side. But, I have a wonderful secret weapon, my cats Cali and Fez. When I sit down to write, often they'll want to hang out and lay on my lap and that'll force me to write.

What advice do you have for kids who want to write?

Read, watch movies, play video games! Surround yourself with stories and the many forms of storytelling. I have to admit that some video game stories inspire me to write!

About Brian

Author and filmmaker Brian Young is a graduate of both Yale University with a Bachelor’s in Film Studies and Columbia University with a Master’s in Creative Writing Fiction. An enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, he grew up on the Navajo Reservation but now currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. As an undergraduate, Brian won a fellowship with the prestigious Sundance Ford Foundation with one of his feature length scripts. He has worked on several short films including Tsídii Nááts’íílid – Rainbow Bird and A Conversation on Race with Native Americans for the short documentary series produced by the New York Times. Brian is currently working on his second book with Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins. In addition to film and writing, Brian also works as a personal trainer, both online and in person.