Junior is a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation. Born with a variety of medical problems, he is picked on by everyone but his best friend. Determined to receive a good education, Junior leaves the rez to attend an all-white school in the neighboring farm town where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Despite being condemned as a traitor to his people and enduring great tragedies, Junior attacks life with wit and humor and discovers a strength inside of himself that he never knew existed.
This book was a really easy read. I was finished after 2 days. It's based on a true story; on the author's experiences growing up. I'll be the first to admit that I am not knowledgeable about the history of Indian culture or growing up on reservations. I don't know the first thing about it, though I've tried to learn here and there over the years. But I was ashamed, nevertheless, by my own ignorance while reading this book. Is the poverty really that bad on reservations? Yes. Is the culture that different? Yes. Are more Indians killed by booze than anything else? Yes.
The journey of this boy to "find himself" so to speak, is an interesting one. It has it's low moments {many low moments, if I may say so) but it also has it's high peaks too. Pieces and parts were more inappropriate than I would have liked, but at the same time, the other parts of the book that tells of Junior's struggles to fit in at a white school versus still trying to fit in at home on the reservation, are touching. I struggled with the many deaths this child had to face. It reminded me of many I've had to face over the years.
What an eye opener. 7 out of 10
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