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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
I thought that this book was really good and I was interested in learning about this topic.
At first it was just a book I had to read for school. But as I went deeper into the story, I realized that it actually was a very good tale. I learned a lot about WWII and I'm glad I found this story. Five stars!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Excellent book. Brings to life a part of history Americans are not often taught. For a middle grade/ early ya book, it does exactly what it’s supposed to do if I read it at that time it’s be a 5. However, I’m older and have learned a lot more so while I think this did a great job, there were pieces I thought felt missing. I wanted a bit more about the specifics and more emotion but that said, still highly recommend.
I liked that I learned more about a fascinating part of history, the Navajo code talkers. The story follows the path of a young 6 year old to the end of WW2. Seeing how the Navajo were treated at schools is appalling. The war part was a little too heavy with violence and military vocabulary for me, but it is needed to tell the story. Fans of historical fiction and war books will enjoy this book. 6th grade and up.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism
This book was really interesting and made me want to look at some non-fiction books about the Code Talkers. My only problem with it is that often it would have detailed descriptions of battles and strategy and things like that that weren't quite as interesting to me. In the Author's Note, he says he really cut back on the number of facts and figures, but it still seemed at times more like reading history than a novel. Other than that, it was a good book and there are lists of resources in the back for people who want more information.
Actual rating is a 3.5.
I really enjoyed how Bruchac balanced history and Ned's story. One of my biggest complaints with historical fiction in general is if the book reads more like a textbook than a work of fiction. I felt like I always understood how events were unfolding in Code Talkers , which as someone who did not know too much about the Pacific theater of WWII, I really appreciated. Ned's story follows the Navajo code talkers, who I liked learning more about. Ned's Navajo traditions and culture are present throughout the book. Bruchac does a good job of explaining unfamiliar customs and presenting them in a respectful way.
The main reason I didn't give this book a higher rating was because at the end, I still felt unattached to many of the characters. Bruchac's untraditional narrative style made it hard for me to connect to the characters. At the end of the novel, I felt like I didn't know much more about Ned than I had at the beginning.
Overall, I enjoyed this book much more as an educational experience than an entertaining one. It provides a good introduction to the Pacific theater of WWII and focuses on unsung heroes of the war, but the people in the story felt more like subjects of a textbook than engaging characters.
I really enjoyed how Bruchac balanced history and Ned's story. One of my biggest complaints with historical fiction in general is if the book reads more like a textbook than a work of fiction. I felt like I always understood how events were unfolding in Code Talkers , which as someone who did not know too much about the Pacific theater of WWII, I really appreciated. Ned's story follows the Navajo code talkers, who I liked learning more about. Ned's Navajo traditions and culture are present throughout the book. Bruchac does a good job of explaining unfamiliar customs and presenting them in a respectful way.
The main reason I didn't give this book a higher rating was because at the end, I still felt unattached to many of the characters. Bruchac's untraditional narrative style made it hard for me to connect to the characters. At the end of the novel, I felt like I didn't know much more about Ned than I had at the beginning.
Overall, I enjoyed this book much more as an educational experience than an entertaining one. It provides a good introduction to the Pacific theater of WWII and focuses on unsung heroes of the war, but the people in the story felt more like subjects of a textbook than engaging characters.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
I knew a bit about the Code Talkers but not as much as I learned reading this book. I listened to it as well and was very glad I did because hearing the language made an impact. I almost wish the book could have one of those recordings like you see/hear in some birthday cards. You can open a page somewhere and hear a bit of code talk.
I was impressed with the writing and will be reading more by this author.
I was impressed with the writing and will be reading more by this author.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced