Culture 4: Indigenous/Native American Literature

Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two

Written by: Joseph Bruchac

Bibliography: Bruchac, J. (2006). Code talker: A novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two. Speak, an imprint of Penguin Group (US) Inc. 

ISBN: 978-0142405963 

Plot Summary: Code Talker is a historical fiction story about Ned Begay, a young Navajo teenager who joins the Marine as a code talker during World War II. The story is told from the perspective of Ned telling his life story to his grandchildren, and it takes big steps through Ned’s early life before he eagerly joins the United States Marines in the wake of the 1941 Pearl Harbor attacks. Ned, who is called Kii Yazhi by his family but later renamed Ned, is sent to a boarding school as a young child, where he is told that he cannot speak Navajo or live the life of his Navajo culture. Despite the brutal treatment he receives at the mission school, Ned remains faithful to his culture while also learning English and excelling in school. Eventually, Ned joins the Marines and becomes a code talker, joining a group of other Navajo soldiers who use their language to develop codes that can be transmitted to help the war effort. Ned is soon deployed to the fighting in the Pacific, experiencing the grueling and perilous battles at Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and ultimately, Iwo Jima. Upon returning from the war, Ned is surrounded by his family and Navajo community as he works hard for others, working in the tribal government and eventually sharing his story about the code talkers and their heroic deeds. 

Critical Analysis: Author Joseph Bruchac creates an exceptionally insightful and compassionate story in the historical fiction novel Code Talkers. His choice to write the story from the perspective of the main character Ned telling about this part of his life to his grandchildren is a wise choice, as it portrays the reality of how the brave men who, like Ned, risked their lives and fought for their country as code talkers in the war, were unable to share their story for many years due to confidentiality. Now Ned is able to share his story as an old man, teaching his grandchildren about the perils he went through when he was just a teenager himself. The plot is at first fast-paced, as it quickly moves from Ned initially arriving at the boarding school all the way to his decision to join the Marines at sixteen-years old. While the story moves quickly in this beginning exposition, it is crucial to the story and a purposeful choice by Bruchac; it is important for readers to understand the cruelties that Ned and many other Native American peoples went through as they had their cultures and traditions forcibly stripped away, and the impact that this had on them. Then, as the story continues, the irony becomes glaringly obvious that the Navajo language that they were constantly told was wrong and unacceptable was now needed in order to send important messages in code to help the war effort. Bruchac’s pacing choices such as this are masterful throughout the novel, and the cultural details he includes help create a window into the importance Navajo traditions. As Ned prepares to ship off to boot camp, is family and tribe perform a Blessingway “to wish success and goodness.” Bruchac is able to balance giving insightful details about this ceremony (and other cultural traditions) that paint a beautiful portrait of the significance of family, faith, and community represented in this novel. 

Awards and Recognition: 

ALSC Notable Children’s Books Commended Award, 2006 

CCBC Choices Selection, 2006 

Review Excerpts: 

From School Library Journal: "Bruchac's gentle prose presents a clear historical picture of young men in wartime, island hopping across the Pacific, waging war in the hells of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring..." 

From Booklist: "Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navajo code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find." 

Connections: Readers can explore resources about the Navajo Code Talkers, including books such as Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code: A Navajo Code Talker’s Story by Joseph Bruchac, Who Were the Navajo Code Talkers? by James Buckley Jr., and Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers by Arigon Starr. Readers can also explore more of Joseph Bruchac’s work by reading Eagle Song, Two Roads, Jim Thorpe: Original All-American, and Talking Leaves.

Sees Behind Trees 

Written by: Michael Dorris 

 

Bibliography: Dorris, M. (1996). Sees behind trees. Little Brown and Company. 

 

ISBN: 978-0786813575 

Plot Summary: Sees Behind Trees is a heartfelt story about a Powhatan boy who learns how to embrace his unique abilities and stay true to himself. The story centers on Walnut, who is getting ready along with his peers to transition from childhood to adulthood. However, as Walnut is preparing for the traditional ceremony that will mark his becoming a man, his mother realizes Walnut cannot see clearly. She teaches him how to use his other senses to perceive what is around him, and this proves to be something Walnut excels at. Walnut is given the name Sees Behind Trees and soon embarks on a journey leading a tribal elder, Gray Fire, to the Land of Water. Sees Behind Trees uses his ability to home in on his other sense to guide Gray Fire to this land that he had found as a child, and along the way, they meet a family with a baby, seemingly warning them about danger ahead, although they do not speak the same language. Eventually, Sees Behind Trees and Gray Fire find the Land of Water, but Gray Fire disappears in the water, leaving Sees Behind Trees to make his way home on his own. Sees Behind Trees uses his senses, growing confidence, and intuition to lead him home. 

Critical Analysis: Sees behind Trees focuses on the main character’s (at first named Walnut, then later named Sees Behind Trees after he completes the ceremony signifying his move into adulthood) acceptance of his own abilities and finding the beauty in seeing things differently. While the story takes place in the distant past, the themes of self-acceptance and loss of childhood are universal and not held by one time in history. Sees Behind Trees struggles with this transition to adulthood, feeling that he is not ready and not prepared to navigate the world on his own, a feeling that many readers can relate to. His relationship with his family and community is tight-knit and rooted in love and tradition; these details shine through author Michael Dorris’ lyrical, descriptive writing. Later, when Sees Behind Trees and Gray Fire make their journey to the Land of Water, a new relationship is formed, between a young man tentatively stepping into adulthood and an elder who has much experience to share. Dorris tells the story with careful attention to detail, avoiding stereotypes or misconceptions and instead building the story with loving references to the traditions and culture of Sees Behind Trees’ Powhatan family. 

Awards and Recognition: 

Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, 1996 

Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 1997 

Great Stone Face Children’s Book Award, 1998 and 1999 

Review Excerpts: 

From Kirkus Reviews: “Dorris has captured the angst that is part of the invisible doorway between childhood and adulthood in this appealing, but not over-romanticized, view of what life may have been like for a pre-Columbian Powhatan youngster, how strangers were viewed by a small village group, and how differences were handled. The exquisitely crafted language remains so simple it can be enjoyed by middle-graders, while the brevity and adventure promise wide readership among less-skilled teenage readers.” 

From Publishers Weekly: “Both sharply and lyrically observed, fraught with emotion, the first-person narrative should connect strongly with a young audience, who will quickly learn that, no matter the century or the culture, the fundamentals of growing up remain very much the same. The authenticity of the characterizations and setting will ease readers toward acceptance of the quasi-mystical adventure that crowns the story. It's a thrilling read, with the pleasures compounding at every turn of the page.” 

Connections: Other books similar to Sees Behind Trees include The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich, Children of the Longhouse by Joseph Bruchac, and Native American Stories for Kids: 12 Traditional Stories from Indigenous Tribes Across North America by Tom Pecore Weso. Readers may also want to learn about more stories from Indigenous people and discover Be a Good Ancestor by Leona Prince, My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom, and Finding My Dance by Ria Thundercloud. Another connection activity can be for readers to discover books with characters that have differences or disabilities, celebrating the theme of uniqueness and embracing your differences. Some books with this theme include Sam’s Super Seats by Keah Brown, Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson, and Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly. 

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story 

Written by: Kevin Noble Maillard 

Illustrated by: Juana Martinez-Neal 

Bibliography: Maillard, K. N., & Martinez-Neal, J. (2019). Fry Bread: A native american family story. Roaring Brook Press. 

ISBN: 978-1626727465 

Plot Summary: Fry Bread is a children’s picture book describing the ingredients, preparation, and traditions of making fry bread, a Native American food. Each page describes a characteristic of fry bread (“Fry bread is sound…Fry bread is color…”), and then goes on to elaborate with sensory details and engaging illustrations. The bread is molded and flattened, then dropped in a skillet. It can be a range of colors, from golden to deep brown, and it is enjoyed at Powwows and family dinners alike. The author also goes on to describe the history of fry bread and its significance in Native American culture. Fry bread is seen in Indigenous tribes through North America, with illustrations depicting walls of text that list hundreds of tribes. Finally, fry bread is family, unity, and love. 

Critical Analysis: Author Kevin Noble Maillard creates a visually stunning story that celebrates the parts of culture that bring people together, while also shining a light on the vast diversity within Indigenous tribes across the continent. Telling the story of fry bread through simple paragraphs filled with description and beautiful language, Maillard in turn crafts a story of love and how the simple act of creating a traditional dish unites communities and loved ones. Maillard’s descriptive language is especially powerful throughout the story, with lines such as “Golden brown, tan, or yellow, deep like coffee, sienna, or earth; light like snow and cream, warm like rays of sun.” All of the descriptions of fry bread also have another meaning when applying it to the interactions between people, such as when Maillard describes how the different flavors in fry bread and its different dishes it can be paired with “rise to discover what brings us together”; later in the story, Maillard switches tones from describing fry bread to Indigenous peoples and how “we strengthen each other to learn, change, and survive.” The author’s choice to end the story with a powerful reminder that Indigenous people are just from the past, but are very much present, is an important note to end on. Every detail in the story is purposeful and intentional, with the end result of a beautifully crafted story of the aspects of culture that brings us together. Illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal’s pictures showcase these themes, with families depicted on every page, working and celebrating together. The emotions on the characters’ faces display feelings of love and joy. The story ends with a fry bread recipe and a detailed author’s note that goes into further detail about each characteristic of fry bread that was described on each page of the book, ending with a spark of curiosity for the reader to discover more about the history and cultures represented in the story. 

Awards and Recognition: 

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Winner, 2020 

American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Winner, 2020 

Review Excerpts: 

 

From School Library Journal: Maillard explores the rich and varied cultures of modern Native Americans through the lens of fry bread… The author, a member of the Seminole Nation, shares his family recipe for fry bread and provides an extensive and thoughtful Author’s Note, providing more information on each topic covered and occasionally calling out special details in the drawings. These notes deal with and dispel many stereotypes associated with Native peoples, while providing historical and contemporary facts. This warm and charming book shows and affirms Native lives.” 

From Booklist: “Fry Bread celebrates the thing itself and much, much more . . . Maillard and Martinez-Neal bring depth, detail, and whimsy to this Native American food story, with text and illustrations depicting the diversity of indigenous peoples, the role of continuity between generations, and the adaptation over time of people, place, and tradition.” 

Connections: After reading Fry Bread, readers may be curious about the variety of Indigenous cultures represented in the story and in the author’s note. Some books that readers would enjoy discovering further include Powwow Day by Traci Sorell, Jingledancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, and We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. Another activity can be to explore books about the traditional food from a variety of cultures around the world, including Hot, Hot, Roti for Dada-ji by Farhana Zia, Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park, and Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina Lazo Gilmore. 

Hearts Unbroken 

Written by: Cynthia Letich Smith 

Bibliography: Smith, C. L. (2018). Hearts unbroken. Candlewick Press. 

ISBN: 978-0763681142 

Plot Summary: Hearts Unbroken is a coming of age story about Louise Wolfe, a Muscogee teenager discovering friendships, relationships, and cultural identity in her Kansas town. Louise, having just broken up via email with her popular football player boyfriend Cam, joins the school newspaper and meets Joey, another talented journalism student and photographer, with whom she soon develops a romantic relationship with. Her younger brother, Hughie, is a freshman at her high school and is elated when he lands the Tin Man role in the upcoming school musical production of The Wizard of Oz. Unfortunately, they begin to face pushback from a parent group called Parents Against Revisionist Theater regarding the diverse casting of the show, and Louise becomes determined to challenge the racism and bigotry that is being thrown at herself and other students of color. 

Critical Analysis: Cynthia Leitich Smith skillfully addresses many important topics in her novel Hearts Unbroken, with the focus on the Muscogee culture of main character Louise Wolfe and how she navigates her identity in her less than diverse Kansas town. Louise is a strong, opinionated character who uses her voice and journalism skills to challenge the racism she and others face from community members in her town. Leitich Smith develops Louise’s character in an authentic way, with Louise facing obstacles and hardships due to feeling “othered” because of her Muscogee identity, but also learning important lessons about communication and opening up to different perspectives. The introduction of Joey into Louise’s life happens quickly, and although their relationship seems to go from competitive to romantic, it is relatable to how teenagers often feel in high school. Joey, who is of Lebanese heritage, can also relate to Louise’s feelings, although Louise is hesitant to tell him about her heritage; when she finally does, she herself brings up stereotypes, just as others do to her, and this unfortunate lapse in communication leads to a short-lived period of separation between the two. Again, Leitich Smith is masterful in her character development, as she creates a realistic character in her protagonist; Louise, like everyone else, is flawed and must learn from her mistakes, sending a powerful message about empathy and compassion. With the strong character development throughout the novel, Leitich Smith accurately captures the complicated tapestry of a community. There are families of different backgrounds, careers, interests, and traditions, and the story raises important questions about what inclusivity looks like and the disheartening reactions from people who do not want to see the “status quo” change. Particularly with the plotline about the outrage from some parents towards the production of The Wizard of Oz, the story focuses on the reality of how racism, prejudice, and hate can have a ripple effect; especially seen with Louise’s younger brother Hughie, who is eager to star as the Tin Man, but also the families who have to decide between speaking up for what’s right and risking their livelihood when the community retaliates for their decision. The author’s choice to portray some of the angry feedback from the community through the letters to the editor in the school newspaper is a wise choice, as it gives readers additional information about the variety of reactions (and responses) to the musical production casting choices while also moving the story forward. Even with these intense scenes and themes that will leave readers ready to have important discussions about how we should treat each other, the author still makes time for Louise’s other plotlines, namely her relationship with Joey and her relationship with her family and cultural identity; Leitich Smith weaves all of these plotlines together to create a well-rounded novel with an important message at its center. 

Awards and Recognition: 

National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, 2007 

Review Excerpts: 

From Publishers Weekly: “Smith depicts the Wolfes’ warm family life as a stable foundation as Hughie and Lou each confront challenges, and she is especially successful at portraying the camaraderie and conflicts of the newspaper staff...a thought-provoking work of realistic teen fiction.” 

From School Library Journal: “Louise is an immediately relatable and authentic teenage voice. Bighearted, ambitious, intelligent, she also has plenty of blind spots, particularly where her relationships are concerned…Blending teen romance with complex questions of identity, equality, and censorship, this is an excellent choice for most collections. 

Connections: Readers who enjoyed this novel may want to make more connections with the book by reading about the Muscogee culture and other Indigenous peoples, using resources such as the Indigenous Peoples Resources website. If readers want to dive into an author study, they can explore some of Cynthia Leitich Smith’s many other books, including Rain Is Not My Indian Name, Indian Shoes, and On a Wing and a Tear. Other similar books that can connect with this novel include Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth, Indian No More by Traci Sorell, and Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley.