Code Word Courage
A WWII Navajo Code Talker and a lonely young girl – can one stray dog save them both?
Billie has lived with her great-aunt, Doff, ever since her mom passed away and her dad left to find work. And her best friend has fallen in with a new crowd, leaving Billie on her own. Billie’s big brother, Leo, is about to leave, too, for the warfront. But first, she gets one more weekend with him at the ranch.
Her disappointment is keen when Leo brings home his friend Denny, a fellow Marine, from boot camp. Denny, who is Navajo, or Diné, arrives with an injured stray dog, asking for Billie’s help. They name him Bear and humans and dog form a tight bond. But can Bear help Billie – and Denny – overcome their deepest fears?
Resources
- Discussion Guide (pdf)
- Veteran’s History Project, Library of Congress, Interview with Dr. Roy O. Hawthorne
- Navajo Code Talkers, from the National Museum of the American Indian
- For great information on how kids pitched in for the war effort, visit the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. . .virtually!
Book Trailer
Code Word Courage
A WWII Navajo Code Talker and a lonely young girl – can one stray dog save them both?
Billie has lived with her great-aunt, Doff, ever since her mom passed away and her dad left to find work. And her best friend has fallen in with a new crowd, leaving Billie on her own. Billie’s big brother, Leo, is about to leave, too, for the warfront. But first, she gets one more weekend with him at the ranch.
Her disappointment is keen when Leo brings home his friend Denny, a fellow Marine, from boot camp. Denny, who is Navajo, or Diné, arrives with an injured stray dog, asking for Billie’s help. They name him Bear and humans and dog form a tight bond. But can Bear help Billie – and Denny – overcome their deepest fears?
Reviews
“This book is beautifully written, a moving tribute to the Navajo Code Talkers.” — Michael Smith, son of Code Talker Samuel “Jesse” Smith, Sr.
“With background research, including interviews with Navajo code talkers, and a knack for generating a heartwarming, genuine story, Larson seamlessly weaves the lives of the characters into the fabric of the 1944-45 home front setting.” — Booklist
“A story of loneliness, loss, friendship, and identity.” —School Library Journal
“World War II continues to be a topic that fascinates young readers, and Code Word Courage will keep those obsessed with the era reading happily.” —YA Books Central
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- Michael Smith and his father Samuel “Jesse” Smith, Code Talker
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- Dr. Roy O. Hawthorne
