U.S. Special Operations

Children's Literature

Whether you call them "commandos" or "Special Ops," there is no doubt that the role played by these small groups of America's Armed Forces are tasked with some of America's most dangerous and skilled work. A secret raid, a spying operation, a scouting mission or a secret effort to confuse the enemy are all examples of special operations. Dramatic and exciting? Absolutely. And that is reinforced by the use of official photos on almost every page. A student with a passing interest in the Armed Forces might find his or herself spurred to additional learning by the drama and adventure described on these pages. One of six titles in the "Fighting Forces" series, this book describes the role, work, command, and history of America's Special Operations. Individual chapters describe Marine Reconnaissance and the Special Forces units of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Laid out like a mini-textbook, the book includes a glossary of terms, an index, an age-appropriate bibliography, and a website list. A word of caution: this book is promoted as being appropriate for students in grades one to four. While the sentence structure and vocabulary is relatively simple, the text is a bit advanced for new readers, especially those in the earlier grades. 2004, Rourke Publishing LLC, Ages 6 to 10.
—Kris Sauer