Review: NAVAJO CODE TALKERS by Andrew Santella

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Santella, Andrew. 2004. Navajo Code Talkers. Captstone Press. ISBN-13: 9780756510206

2. PLOT SUMMARY

During WWII, the Allied forces needed to find a way to communicate quickly, accurately and secretly in order to get the victory. Although radio was efficient for this communication, the Japanese could also listen in on conversations and find out what the Allied forces knew. Secret codes were quickly broken, requiring more and more complicated codes to be devised. Thanks to Philip Johnston, a Los Angeles Engineer who had grown up among the Navajos, they found a solution. The Navajo language was very intricate and difficult even for other Native American Peoples to understand, so Johnston proposed that a code based upon the Navajo language be created. The government recruited 29 Navajos to develop the code and serve as communicators. These “Code Talkers” served on the front lines, reporting on progress, enemy plans, and requesting reinforcement as needed.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Navajo Code Talkers by Andrew Santella is part of the “We the People” series from Compass Point Books. In this book, Santella brings to light the secret contributions the Navajo recruits made to the success of World War II. The authenticity of Santella’s information is supported by various direct quotes such as this statement by Marine Major Howard Connor who said that “were it not for the Navajo, the Marines would have never taken Iwo Jima” and the battle report from Marine Captain Ralph Stuckey that “the code talkers were the simplest, fastest, and most reliable means available to send secret orders.”The list of content advisors on the book’s title page also bears credence to the accuracy of the information provided.  

Santella did not ignore the Navajo culture in this book. He devoted several pages to the history of the Navajo people, their mistreatment and relocation by the United States Government. At the beginning of the book, Santella tells the reader that the Native American students at government-run schools were forbidden to speak their native language, and would get their mouths washed out with soap for doing so. The author includes pictures of Navajos herding sheep on the reservation, the Navajo leader Manuelito, Shiprock, (a spiritual symbol of the Navajo Nation), and a photo of a Navajo woman with a baby on her back to help the reader to connect to the history of the Navajo nation.

This book is recommended for ages 9 – 11, and Andrew Santella does an excellent job of conveying this important page of our nation’s history in language which is easily understood and interesting to this age group. The plentiful collection of archival photographs adds to the high interest level of the book. In the back of the book, the reader will find a glossary, a “Did You Know?” page, a timeline, list of important people, and a list of sources where those who are curious can look for more information. Boys especially will be interested the war photos, the sample page of the Navajo dictionary and explanation of how the code was made. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE REVIEW: “This book is easy to read and visually interesting. The text has a good balance of simple language and complex ideas. It is illustrated with historical photographs and graphs explaining the code. While the glossary is very small, the other reference tools are very informative. It even has a web site that will help with additional research. This is an excellent book, especially for struggling readers.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: Gr 4-6-“According to Marine Major Howard Connor, ‘Were it not for the Navajo, the Marines would have never taken Iwo Jima." During that battle, "six code talkers worked day and night to send more than 800 messages. They made not a single mistake.’ Their story is told with brevity and directness and illustrated with archival war photos, a sample of the code, and other documents and maps. This is a high-interest topic and a good first source that will certainly spark imaginations.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Nathan Aaseng's Navajo Code Takers (Walker, 1992) and Deanne Durrett's Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers (Facts On File, 1998) are for older readers but could be used in conjunction with this title.

Students could be challenged to create codes of their own using the Navajo code, the English Language or numbers. Once they have created a code, they can write a secret message and challenge a friend to decipher it.