Medicine Walk

by Ardath Mayhar

After his father dies from a heart attack after landing their small plane, a young boy is left to fend for himself as he treks through the summer desert back to civilization.

As his father piloted the small plane on the short trip to Grandfather’s house, Burr couldn’t help but suggest a quick stop to his father. Why not fly over the Petrified Forest? There would be plenty of time.

But after landing their plane in a desert draw, Burr’s father has a heart attack and dies, leaving him to fend for survival on his own. With little food and water and no one that knows where to look for him, Burr must travel alone through forty miles of the summer desert to escape his worst nightmare.

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1985

About the author

Ardath Frances Hurst Mayhar was an American writer and poet. She began writing science fiction in 1979 after returning with her family to Texas from Oregon. She was nominated for the Mark Twain Award, and won the Balrog Award for a horror narrative poem in Masques I.

She had numerous other nominations for awards in almost every fiction genre, and won many awards for poetry. In 2008 she was honored by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America as an Author Emeritus.

Mayhar wrote over 60 books ranging from science fiction to horror to young adult to historical to westerns; with some work under the pseudonyms Frank Cannon, Frances Hurst, John Killdeer, Ardath P. Mayhar. Joe R. Lansdale wrote simply: "Ardath Mayhar writes damn fine books!"

Reviews

[Devyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good book. It is very respectful towards the Apache culture and easy to get lost in. I would recommend it to anyone that likes realistic fictional survival stories.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel served as my FIRST novel teaching sixth grade language arts. Many of my students loved Hatchet, so they had some history within the genre and style.

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love survival stories, and this one really stood out in my mind. Of all the survival stories I've read, this is one of the few I've read multiple times.

[Laura Morast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Medicine Walk by Ardath Mayhar is an inspirational story about a boy surviving alone in the desert after his father dies while flying a plane over the Arizona desert. Burr Henderson and his father were flying to visit relatives for Burr's birthday. Burr's father dies but manages to land the plane. Burr is forced to leave his dead father in the plane and walk to try and find civilization. Along the way, he meets many trials including a rattle snake, a cougar, lack of water, the hot sun, and other tribulations. Burr Henderson uses Indian ways that he previously learned from Nachito, their Navajo ranch foreman, and Charlie, Nachito's grandson, to help him survive on his journey. Burr's strong will, intelligence, and some help from his totem animal, the cougar, help him on his own medicine walk to find civilization and ultimately get to his grandfather.
This is a fantastic adventure book for intermediate students.

[Cecily Weston · Rating 4 out of 5]

:)

[Alonna Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of the book is: medicine walk the author of the book is Ardath mayhar. the setting this books is in the desert and at home ,the character’s are Dean,August,Nahito,and Charlie,the conflict is they are trying to get out of the desert to get home to their family.I think my opinion about this book is that this book and other books i have read always get better as you get farther in the story.this is a very good book so read it, it is kind of like winn dixie because the dog tryed to find his home and the girl took him home and had so much fun with him, i recredemed this book as a 9 because you will laugh and cry.