Code Talker: a Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac

I was really looking forward to reading this young adult historical fiction novel. I never did see the movie about the Navajo Code Talkers, but I remember reading about them. While containing a lot of very accurate historical information about the war and Navajo culture, I didn't think the novel flowed very well. I didn't get sucked into the world of the main character, Ned Begay. It felt like I was reading a history textbook in places, instead of a novel. I know that Bruchac had the best intentions and is a great novelist. But it didn't work for me. The concept was that the narrator was thinking back and addressing his grandchildren who asked him about his war medal. But the constant addressing of "grandchildren" broke up the narrative. In the author's note, Bruchac explains how his editor at Dial said "first full draft was so heavy with facts--names, dates, places--that you could have used it as an anchor." He edited it, but I think it needs more editing to make it work well. I was too disappointed in this attempt to uncover one of the most interesting aspects of World War II.