Native American Code Talkers

by M.M. Eboch

This title examines the Native American servicemen known as the code talkers, focusing on their role in coded communication during World War II including developing the codes, their training, and their work in war zones. Compelling narrative text and well-chosen historical photographs and primary sources make this book perfect for report writing. Features include a glossary, a selected bibliography, websites, source notes, and an index, plus a timeline and essential facts. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

112 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

M.M. Eboch is a pen name for Chris Eboch, used for Jesse Owens: Young Record Breaker and Milton Hershey: Young Chocolatier, both inspirational biographies that are part of Simon & Schuster's Childhood of Famous Americans series.

Ms. Eboch also has books published under her real name, Chris Eboch. Her Haunted series includes The Ghost on the Stairs and The Phantom Pilot. Haunted follows a brother and sister who travel with a ghost hunter TV show and try to help the ghosts. The series, for ages 8-12, features The Ghost on the Stairs, The Riverboat Phantom and The Knight in the Shadows.

Chris is also the author of The Well of Sacrifice, an exciting middle grade Mayan drama, used in schools.

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first photo in this book bears the caption "US soldiers unload supplies during the invasion of Iwo Jima." They are not "soldiers". The US Army infantryman is a soldier. There were none on Iwo Jima. These men are United States Marines. You can clearly see "USMC" imprinted on the back of one's utility jacket. As an old Navy Corpsman take my word, never call a Marine a soldier. That is an offense they do not take lightly. The author makes this error over and over again. While it is true that in Marine tradition they were once known as Soldiers of the Sea, make no mistake, they do not want to be called soldiers. They don't cotton to being called "Jarheads" either.

[Thomas Andrikus · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book, I became profoundly inspired by the heroism of the Native American Code Talkers who served in both Europe and Pacific Theatres of the WW2. I wish I could have met at least one of these people in person.

It also saddens me to read about Harry Tsosie, who, among the first 29 Navajo code talkers, was the first to be killed by friendly fire. The Navy Corpsman who killed him thought he was a Japanese soldier (it was common for most soldiers to mistake Native American soldiers as Japanese soldiers).