Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two [Paperback]

Joseph Bruchac (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

After being taught in a boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers, sending messages during World War II in their native tongue.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up–In the measured tones of a Native American storyteller, Bruchac assumes the persona of a Navajo grandfather telling his grandchildren about his World War II experiences. Protagonist Ned Begay starts with his early schooling at an Anglo boarding school, where the Navajo language is forbidden, and continues through his Marine career as a "code talker," explaining his long silence until "de-classified" in 1969. Begay's lifelong journey honors the Navajos and other Native Americans in the military, and fosters respect for their culture. Bruchac's gentle prose presents a clear historical picture of young men in wartime, island hopping across the Pacific, waging war in the hells of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring, even for those who have seen Windtalkers, or who have read such nonfiction works as Nathan Aaseng's Navajo Code Talkers (Walker, 1992), Kenji Kawano's Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers (Northland, 1990), or Deanne Durrett's Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers (Facts On File, 1998). For those who've read none of the above, this is an eye-opener.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 6-9. Six-year-old Ned Begay leaves his Navajo home for boarding school, where he learns the English language and American ways. At 16, he enlists in the U.S. Marines during World War II and is trained as a code talker, using his native language to radio battlefield information and commands in a code that was kept secret until 1969. Rooted in his Navajo consciousness and traditions even in dealing with fear, loneliness, and the horrors of the battlefield, Ned tells of his experiences in Hawaii, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The book, addressed to Ned's grandchildren, ends with an author's note about the code talkers as well as lengthy acknowledgments and a bibliography. The narrative pulls no punches about war's brutality and never adopts an avuncular tone. Not every section of the book is riveting, but slowly the succession of scenes, impressions, and remarks build to create a solid, memorable portrayal of Ned Begay. Even when facing complex negative forces within his own country, he is able to reach into his traditional culture to find answers that work for him in a modern context. Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navajo code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 231 pages
• Publisher: Speak (July 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142405965
• ISBN-13: 978-0142405963
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Bruchac, Joseph
  • #9 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Multicultural Stories > Native North & South Americans
  • #10 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Multicultural Stories > Native North & South Americans

More About the Author

Joseph Bruchac is a highly acclaimed Abenaki children's book author, poet, novelist and storyteller, as well as a scholar of Native American culture. Coauthor with Michael Caduto of the bestselling Keepers of the Earth series, Bruchac's poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, from Akwesasne Notes and American Poetry Review to National Geographic and Parabola. He has authored more than 50 books for adults and children. For more information about Joseph, please visit his website www.josephbruchac.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars code talker review, December 29, 2005

By 

G. Dinunzio "random book choser" (middletown, new york) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two (Hardcover)

my son asked me to pick out a relatively short book from the library for his 8th grade book report. Code talker was it. After he raved about it, and spoke of some specifics, i read it myself before returning to the library. It is a beautifully told tale that intertwines the 'simple' english translation of a navajo language filled with spirituality, respect, honor, and a mythological belief in how things came to be.

How these Navajo marines came to become major players in WWII victory in the face of horrendous racially biased treatment at home is gripping. They were great american heroes, only to be treated like dirt upon their arrival home. Powerful, fascinating story that is impossible to put down.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Code Talker, May 11, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two (Hardcover)

What did Navajo Indians do in World War 2? The title of my book is Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac. The main character is Kii Yazhi. He is forced to go to boarding school. From boarding school he heads off to war.

In the beginning of the story, he was forced to to leave his family and go to a school where they hated Navajo Indians. In the middle of the book, Kii was a code talker. Being a code talker he spoke the native language as a code in World War 2. To find out what happened to Kii, read the book.

The theme is Navajo Indians helped Americans in World War 2. This book reminded me of wars. Boys who like action will like this book.

B.C. in Annapolis

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Code Talkers, September 29, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two (Hardcover)

Code Talkers is a fantastic book. The author Joseph Bruchac really knows how to write a good book. When the main charector was growing up he was told he would be nothing. When he got out of boarding school he was on his way to being a big succes.
When he grew up he, he decided to do something with his life so he joined the Marines after Pearl Harbor was attacked. At that time the marines were looking for codetalkers Navajo codetalkers. The Marines attimatically sent him to the Pacific to start transmitting messages.