Thomas H. Begay and the Navajo Code Talkers

Born in a hogan in 1926, Thomas Begay grew up speaking only Navajo until, in his teens, he was sent to a U.S. government-run Indian boarding school, where students who spoke in their native tongue were harshly punished. Ironically, Begay's knowledge of Navajo, his memorization skills, and his courage, all important aspects of his upbringing, made him particularly valuable to the U.S. Marines in their secret Navajo code talker program during WWII. The code, based on an unwritten language, proved unbreakable. After the war, Begay went home without special recognition. But after the program was declassified in 1968, he and other code talkers became heroes among the Navajo and, more broadly, their fellow Americans. Besides books, speeches, and articles, Landry's research includes interviews with Thomas Begay. While the book is biographical, it offers a good deal of information about the whole Navajo code talker program and the experience of being part of it. Illustrations range from black-and-white archival photos and maps to more recent pictures of Begay. An informative book on an intriguing topic.

A new generation is introduced to the fascinating history of the World War II Navajo Code Talkers. A young, very frightened Thomas H. Begay is first seen at age 19 at Iwo Jima as he takes up his duty of sending and receiving messages in an unbreakable code based on the Navajo language. But that happens nearer the war's end, and Landry quickly rewinds to the beginning, describing Thomas' early life on the Navajo Nation reservation and his experiences at a government boarding school where children were severely punished for speaking Navajo. Landry then discusses the experiences of the original 29 Navajos Code Talkers, who were shocked when they were told that they must speak only in their native tongue. Their painstaking efforts resulted in an intricate code used during battles and crucial to success in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Their code was never broken. Though much too young to be in the first groups, Thomas is part of the last, viciously fought battles. Intricately detailed information and insights about the background history and unfolding events are provided within the narrative, illustrated with photos and documents. The work is exciting, accessible, and very personal. The Code Talkers are named, and their experiences--their emotions, actions, dedication, and bravery--are palpable. After the war the Code Talkers were banned from speaking about the program, but they were finally recognized in 1968, and Thomas, at 96, remains dedicated to keeping their story alive. A remarkable true story, well told. (author's note, photos, timeline, glossary, notes, bibliography, biographies for young readers) (Biography. 12-16) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Born in a hogan in 1926, Thomas Begay grew up speaking only Navajo until, in his teens, he was sent to a U.S. government-run Indian boarding school, where students who spoke in their native tongue were harshly punished. Ironically, Begay's knowledge of Navajo, his memorization skills, and his courage, all important aspects of his upbringing, made him particularly valuable to the U.S. Marines in their secret Navajo code talker program during WWII. The code, based on an unwritten language, proved unbreakable. After the war, Begay went home without special recognition. But after the program was declassified in 1968, he and other code talkers became heroes among the Navajo and, more broadly, their fellow Americans. Besides books, speeches, and articles, Landry's research includes interviews with Thomas Begay. While the book is biographical, it offers a good deal of information about the whole Navajo code talker program and the experience of being part of it. Illustrations range from black-and-white archival photos and maps to more recent pictures of Begay. An informative book on an intriguing topic. Grades 5-8. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.