Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two

By Joseph Bruchac

Book Overview

ONE OF TIME'S BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOKS OF ALL TIME - This deeply affecting novel follows a too-young-to-enlist teenager as he becomes a Navajo Code Talker--one of the best kept secret weapons in WWII.

"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."--Booklist, starred review

The United States is at war, and sixteen-year-old Ned Begay wants to join the cause--especially when he hears that Navajos are being specifically recruited by the Marine Corps. So he claims he's old enough to enlist, breezes his way through boot camp, and suddenly finds himself involved in a top-secret task, one that's exclusively performed by Navajos. He has become a code talker. His experiences in the Pacific--from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima and beyond--will forever change him.

Throughout World War Two, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo Code Talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years. When the war ended, they weren't able to tell anyone--not even their families--about their true contribution.

But we now know their amazing stories, and Joseph Bruchac brings them to life through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. Code Talker honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve. It honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians and it speaks eloquently about the brutal realities of battle.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142405965
• ISBN13: 9780142405963
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Speak
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

My Review

Code Talkers is a great novel telling the story of a Navaho boy named Kii Yazhi. He is sent to boarding school and then when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor he makes the decision of going to the Marine Corps. He is recruited and is sent to boot camp. He is selected to do a very special job that includes using his native language, he becomes a Navajo Code Talker.

Code Talker

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

Code Talkers

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.

Code Talker: A novel about the Navajo Marines of World War II

Joseph Bruchac does a wonderful job of showing the reader the life of the Navajo young during the 1920-30s as well as telling of this powerful and until fairly recently (1969) unknown aspect of the second World War. I am a high school media specialist and have selected this title to use with my student and faculty historical fiction book discussion groups for 2005-2006.