Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Jim Hamilton

The book Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac is a great book. It beautifully illustrates the life of a Navajo man during World War Two. It starts off with the boy being taken away from his mother and father and sent to a mission school. One that was run by the white people. There they had their hair cut, an insult to their people and were given new names. His name is Ned Begay, the smallest of the Navajo boys. They were all taught to forget their Navajo ways and learn english. He stayed there until war broke out. He was 17 and lied his way into the army, because they did not have birth certificates. Finally he is shipped off to war, and suddenly the government needs him for a secret mission, something only the Navajos could do. This book was exciting from beginning to end, with great detail about the war and the sacrifice of American soldiers, Navajo or other, in order to protect our freedoms. This is an inspirational book about the greatest generations sacrifices in World War Two.