The Shaman and the Water Serpent is a book for children that demonstrates how ancient Puebloan peoples carried out their daily lives. Renowned children's author Jennifer Owings Dewey writes about the Puebloan peoples' relationships with animals, and Benton Yazzie recreates the rock art depictions of familiar animals: deer, antelope, and rabbits.

Characters include the shaman, a man with supernatural power who provides insights into the mysterious world of gods and the spirits. Men and boys honor the animals they hunt by singing songs to their spirits, while the women,...