School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-8-Though a plethora of World War II titles exists, very little has been written about the invasion and occupation of Alaska by Japanese forces in June 1942. At first denied by the U.S. Navy, and then kept in a cloud of secrecy to avoid embarrassment and panic, details of "one of the bloodiest and deadliest hand-to-hand combat battles" between the U.S. and Japan in sealed documents for decades to come. This title shows how the country was unprepared for an invasion, how the "Ghost Warriors" of Japan gained territory, and how American soldiers fought to reclaim the westernmost section of Alaska. The well-written text reads easily, focusing on various individuals and military units and the feats they performed. The cooperation of the native Aleuts is well documented. Sadly, so is their callous treatment at the hands of the U.S. government (e.g., removal from their lands under the pretext of evacuation, substandard living conditions, and many years of waiting for reparation). The text is liberally illustrated with black-and-white images. The quality is not exceptional, as most were likely taken with a vintage personal box camera. They are, however, unique.-Eldon Younce, Anthony Public Library, KS (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Attempting to create a diversion from their 1942 attack on Midway, the Japanese forces invaded the Aleutian Islands, occupying two islands and taking prisoners back to Japan. The facts of the story are undeniably gripping, and Seiple retells individual incidents with immediacy, but the structure of the narrative is disjointed and hard to follow. Extensive source notes are appended. Ind. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Aleutian Sparrow (2003). (sources, index) (Nonfiction. 11-14)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
With the seventieth anniversary of Pearl Harbor sparking renewed interest in WWII, this meticulously researched look at Japan's secret and oft-forgotten invasion of the Aleutian Islands (a 1,000-mile chain of volcanic islands off the western coast of Alaska) will find an attentive audience. From cryptanalysts working around the clock to piece together Japan's next move, members of the military's weather team, and American pilots turned dive-bombers to the elite Alaska Combat Intelligence Platoon and native Aleuts, the book weaves numerous firsthand accounts with the surprising events. Despite the simple text, readers may have trouble keeping track of these various participants at times. Elements that will grab students' attention include the fascinating role weather played in this remote area (unrelenting fog led to hand-to-hand combat) and the Japanese Bushido code, which led to mass suicide rather than surrender. Seiple also gives careful consideration to the Aleut's evacuation, mistreatment during the war, and eventual restitution. A perfect accompaniment to Karen Hesse's fictional Aleutian Sparrow (2003).--Leeper, Angela Copyright 2010 Booklist
