Written by Larry Hama & Illustrated by Anthony Williams
SUMMARY:
Published by the Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. in 2007, this 48-page paperback is a visual summary of February-March 1945’s Battle of Iwo Jima. Included in the narrative are brief descriptions of a few of the battle’s soldiers, including some of its survivors. The book further explains the iconic photo that its cover was inspired from.
Note: The back cover infers that this book is included in a six-pack. If so, another of its pack’s volumes is The Battle of Midway: The Destruction of the Japanese Fleet.
REVIEW:
Primarily geared towards middle schoolers (since there is a glossary included), it’s a gritty visual aid that doesn’t glorify Iwo Jima’s historical significance as propaganda. Well known for his G.I. Joe work, writer Larry Hama doesn’t flinch describing the thirty-six-day battle. Though there is some implied gore, illustrator Anthony Williams doesn’t depict blood. Frankly, his visuals echoing Hama’s text is near-haunting. Case in point: a little-known battle facet re: a trio of young Japanese botany students trapped on the island is indicative of Iwo Jima’s chilling post-battle mysteries. For that matter, the post-war fate of U.S. Marine Ira Hayes is another tragedy in itself re: the effects of “survivor guilt.” Supplementing this history lesson is the text explaining the lead-up and after-effects on both sides. Overall, this book should make a helpful tool for a student’s world history project or book report.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Its single-page table of contents also includes a short summary of the U.S. vs. Japanese wartime activities leading up to the Battle of Midway. Four of its pivotal commanders: U.S. Navy Admiral Spruance, U.S. Marine General Smith, and Japan’s Lt. General Kuribayashi and Lt. Colonel Nishi are quickly profiled. As preludes, a pair of two-page chapters, “Stopping the Japanese War Machine” and “Tiny Island of Death” set up the book’s visual narrative re: opposing strategies. An additional two-page chapter, “Countdown to Total Victory,” describes the Japan’s wartime surrender in July 1945. A glossary, index, and a page re: further reader recommendations are also included.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
