Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac

Code Talker is on the Rebecca Caudill 2008 list. The book tells the story of Ned, a 16 year old Navajo boy, who becomes a code talker. This work of historical fiction was fascinating and I liked that the author provided more information about the actual code talkers at the end of the book.

from Amazon:
"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."

Happy reading! If you read Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it. :)