Sherman Alexie is one of my favorite authors. So, when I saw that he had written a novel for teens, I couldn’t wait to read it. I finished it today and am amazed at how wonderful the book is.In many cases, adult novelists who decide to write a book for teens end up having one of two problems. Either the books are too adult for teens or too child-like for teens. Alexie’s book has no such problems.
The story is about a young Spokane Indian boy named Arnold Spirit, but everyone on the reservation calls him Junior. He decides, if he is to have any sort of future, he needs to go to school in the local white farming community. So, early in his freshman year of high school, he transfers and becomes the only Indian kid in his new all-white school.
Junior has lots to deal with after he makes this change – his best friend thinks he’s been betrayed, his new school has a completely different set of unwritten rules Junior has to learn, his sister decides to get married and move to Montana, and he has a semi-girlfriend whose father hates him.
The story is told in Junior’s first-person narrative with his cartoon sketches sprinkled throughout. While this story is very angry, touching on subjects such as poverty, death and teen angst (including rough language), it is also very funny. There is a terrific scene involving the science teacher, Junior, another student and information about petrified wood that made me laugh out loud. And the cartoons, drawn by Ellen Forney, are especially humorous.
I highly recommend this book. It is one of the best teen novels I’ve read in a long time.
