This is an interesting book in many ways.
First of all, it has been banned from some school libraries
due to its controversial topics. I can't turn down the opportunity to read a controversial book.
Second, it is written for a young audience crowd that could
be as young as seven, but it is written in a way that it can be enjoyed by
readers of every age. As you are reading, you can sense some of it is
simplified for a younger audience, but it doesn’t lose the meaning behind it,
and it doesn’t seem elementary. There are a lot of sexual references as well as
profanity.
Third, it is actually based on the experiences of the
author. Most of the tragic incidents are true, but according to the interview
at the end of the book, a lot of the book is fictional as well. It was neat to
see how Alexie could separate himself from Junior to make it into a fictional
book.
Junior is a young Indian boy living on a reservation. He
doesn’t look exactly like the rest of the people around him. He had a few birth
defects that made his head large and his eyes uneven. He is picked on all the
time, and gets called names and beat up just for being himself.
Dealing with alcoholic parents, a best friend with anger
issues, and the every day trials of living on the reservation, he decides that
he needs a change.
He makes a brave decision one day that he wants to go to
school outside of the reservation. The school he wants to go to has a
predominately white population. He knows that it will not be an easy
transition, and he is most likely going to be picked on. But, he would receive
that same treatment if he stayed at his current school.
The book then transitioned into a story of an outcast Indian
boy dealing with living in a world full of racism while trying to make a name
for himself.
I really liked how Alexie was able to tackle really rough
topics but present it in a way that wasn’t outright depressing. This book
touches on alcoholism, bullying, poverty, homosexuality, and violence.
I think this would be a good book for younger audiences. It
can introduce them to tough subjects, and could spark questions and discussions
on the issues.
5/5 Stars
Memorable Quotes: “So I draw because I want to talk to the
world. And I want the world to pay attention to me.”
“We were supposed to be happy with our limitations. But
there was no way Penelope and I were going to sit still. Nope, we both wanted
to fly.”
