Navy Seals: Special Operations for the U.S. Navy (Inside Special Operations Series)

VOYA

This six-volume series focused on Special Operations in the United States and Great Britain will appeal to middle school students interested in armed forces careers. The simple writing and large print are clearly aimed at younger readers. Color photographs of soldiers and short sidebars will draw students into the text. Put together by freelance authors, the writing style in this series varies and does not offer an expert perspective. Navy Seals provides a glimpse into an arm of the Navy with which many are familiar through popular reports in books and movies. The author uses a variety of first-person accounts to enliven her descriptions of SEAL training and mission, including some obscure references, such as The Navy Seal Workout. Students will find the training section to be most engrossing. The history of the SEALS is short and glosses over failed missions in Grenada and Panama without providing sufficient detail. The text is decidedly gung-ho about the units and their objectives, without explaining the dangers or political controversy surrounding some SEAL missions. The author includes broad statements such as "All members of a SEAL team are always prepared for any situation." It is best to pair this book with other, more balanced treatments of Navy Special Operations. (Inside Special Operations).. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P J (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Rosen, 64p.; Glossary. Index. Photos. Biblio. Further Reading., PLB. Ages 12 to 15.
—Cassandra Kvenild