y ▁Medal ▁for ▁excell ence ▁in ▁American ▁children ' s ▁literature ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁Young er ▁Bro ther , ▁a ▁N ava jo ▁Indian ▁living ▁in ▁Arizona ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁wishes ▁to ▁follow ▁in ▁the ▁foot steps ▁of ▁his ▁uncle ▁and ▁become ▁a ▁medicine ▁man . ▁ ▁To ▁accomplish ▁this ▁task , ▁he ▁must ▁under go ▁several ▁ar du ous ▁years ▁of ▁training , ▁to ▁learn ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁ancient ▁songs ▁and ▁custom s ▁of ▁his ▁ancest ors . ▁ ▁This ▁includes ▁a ▁journey ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁in ▁the ▁far ▁west , ▁particip ating ▁in ▁traditional ▁cer emon ies , ▁and ▁clim bing ▁the ▁nearby ▁Water less ▁Mountain . ▁ ▁Through out ▁his ▁training , ▁his ▁Uncle ▁rel ates ▁to ▁him ▁numerous ▁leg ends ▁of ▁their ▁culture . ▁ ▁Char acters ▁Young er ▁Bro ther ▁- ▁The ▁main ▁character , ▁who ▁asp ires ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁medicine ▁man . ▁ ▁His ▁true ▁name ▁is ▁Da wn ▁Boy , ▁but ▁as ▁this ▁name ▁can ▁only ▁be ▁spoken ▁in ▁special ▁circumstances , ▁others ▁usually ▁refer ▁to ▁him ▁as ▁Young er ▁Bro ther , ▁or ▁Little ▁S inger . ▁ ▁He ▁often ▁displays ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁insight ▁on ▁many ▁situations , ▁which ▁convin ces ▁his ▁Uncle ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁dest ined ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁medicine ▁man . ▁ ▁The ▁book ▁sp ans ▁the ▁period ▁from ▁when ▁Young er ▁Bro ther ▁is ▁eight ▁years ▁old ▁until ▁his ▁early ▁ad oles c ence .