A children's book written by
Joseph Krumgold which won the
Newbery Medal in
1954. The book was later made in to the
1966 movie "And Now Miguel".
It is a coming-of-age story about Miguel Chavez, a 12-year-old boy whose family raises sheep in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Miguel is tired of being treated as a child and longs to be allowed to go with his father and older brothers in to the mountains, but isn't old enough and has to stay at home with the girls each year. At a festival day he prays to be allowed to go this year in to the mountains, and his prayer is granted - his beloved brother Gabriel is drafted in to the army for two years, and so Miguel must take his place.