Owl in the Cedar Tree

By Natachee Scott Momaday

Book Overview

Haske, a Navaho boy, is torn between the past of his people's rich, self-sustaining culture and a present that opens up new possibilities. His parents propel him in one direction, his grandfather in another, his teacher in still another. The boy has a secret wish, but its fulfillment seems beyond reach. At night he listens to the hoot of the owl in the cedar tree and wonders if good fortune or bad is in store. This beautifully written story finally supplies the answer.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0803281846
• ISBN13: 9780803281844
• Release Date: September 1992
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
• Length: 116 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

The Owl and the Cedar Tree

The main characters are members of a Navaho family, or more distant kin. They are Haske, Desba, Riding Woman, Nightsinger and Old Grandfather.The family lives in a hogan. They live in a traditional way on the Navaho reservation. They have two and dogs, and two horses, but in the beginning, Haske, the boy doesn't have his own horse.Old Grandfather died, and the family was sad. Haske got a hundred dollars as a prize for making a picture. He bought a horse named Night Wind, a beautiful and fast horse.The title refers to the owl, which is a traditional messenger of good or bad news. The owl is not a pet....