About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is grappling with questions about identity and belonging, or when they are interested in the hidden heroes of history. It follows Ned Begay, a Navajo boy who is sent to a boarding school where he is told his native culture is shameful and his language is useless. However, when World War II breaks out, the U.S. government realizes that the Navajo language is actually their greatest weapon. Ned becomes a Code Talker, using his heritage to save lives on the front lines. This is a powerful story about resilience, the reclamation of pride, and the irony of being asked to fight for a country that previously tried to erase who you are. It is appropriate for middle schoolers and young teens, offering a nuanced look at the complexities of patriotism and cultural survival.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
1. DISTRESS: The opening chapters depict the abusive and traumatic treatment of children at federal boarding schools. Specifically, a scene where a child's mouth is washed out with soap for speaking his native language and another where a boy's long hair is forcibly cut while he weeps. Later, the combat scenes are visceral: descriptions of the 'iron smell' of blood, the sounds of soldiers screaming, and the sight of bodies on the beach at Iwo Jima. 2. CONVERSATION: Parents should be prepared to discuss the historical reality of the American Indian boarding school system and why the government attempted to suppress indigenous cultures. Additionally, a conversation about the 'G.I. Bill' and the fact that Navajo veterans faced continued discrimination and lack of voting rights upon their return home will provide necessary historical context for the book's ending.
Ideal Reader
A 12-year-old who loves military history but is starting to ask deeper questions about justice, or a student who feels like they have to hide parts of themselves to fit in at school.
Parent Prep
Preview Chapter 4 (the boarding school arrival) to handle questions about cultural erasure, and Chapter 17 (Iwo Jima) for intensity of combat. A child being told by an authority figure that their parents and culture are 'ignorant' or 'savage.'
Age Experience
Younger readers will focus on the 'secret code' and the adventure of the Marines. Older readers will pick up on the deep irony of Ned using the very language his teachers tried to destroy to save the people who tried to destroy it.
What Makes It Special
While many WWII novels focus on European battlefields, this story highlights the essential role of the Navajo Code Talkers and the irony of using a suppressed language to win the war.
Read plot summary
Ned Begay is sent to a federal boarding school where his Navajo name, clothing, and language are stripped away. He is told that to succeed, he must forget his heritage. When WWII begins, the Marines recruit Navajo men to create an unbreakable code based on their native tongue. Ned enlists at sixteen and serves in the Pacific theater, participating in major battles like Iwo Jima while maintaining the highest level of secrecy. The story concludes with his return home, where he finally finds a way to balance his traditional identity with his experiences as a soldier.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
At the boarding school, Ned is told that Navajo is a 'useless' language. How does his perspective on his language change once he becomes a Code Talker?
2
Ned has to keep his work as a Code Talker a secret for many years after the war. How do you think that secrecy affected his transition back to civilian life?
3
Compare the way the Navajo Marines were treated by their fellow soldiers with how they were treated by the American government before and after the war.
4
Why was it so important for Ned to have a traditional ceremony (the Enemy Way) when he returned from the war?
5
The code used words like 'ginit' (sparrow hawk) for a dive bomber. Why do you think using nature-based words was so effective for the code?
