Plot Summary
Junior a 14-year-old Native American boy is many things from being a poor Indian to living with a rare disability that causes him to be bullied in and out of school. On his first day of high school, he comes to a realization that he wants better for his educational future. Junior is convinced by Mr. P, his geometry teacher, to leave the reservation. That also means leaving his best friend Rowdy behind for a better education.Throughout this challenging journey, Junior learns to overcome his fears his freshman year at a predominantly white high school.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Alexie puts a comical spin on serious challenges Native American teenagers face today. This book includes themes that many young teenagers can connect with including bullying, cultural appropriation, social class, and racism. The hilarious illustrations will attract many reluctant readers making this book a page-turner! In addition, many young teenagers will relate to the main character's first year in high school. After reading this book, you will know what it really means to be a “part-time Indian”.
There are many modern cultural markers found throughout this book from the setting to the future of Native Americans. I would like to focus on the illustrations that are found throughout the book. Forney adds humor and authenticity to the sketches. Readers will be able to compare the difference between Junior’s Spokane Indian tribe to the “white” culture he goes to school with. There is this one sketch of a boy split in half and basically shows the white culture in a more positive light versus the Indigenous culture in a negative light.In addition, please be forewarned that you will run into many offensive interlingual stereotypical terms in this book such as “red skins”, “squawboy”, “chief”, and “tonto”. The book explores some modern-day challenges found in the Native American culture such as alcoholism and poverty. These two challenges have a negative impact on Native Americans leading to lack of education, crime, and death. However, with these two challenges exposed in this book, family life still remains a strong positive impact on this culture group.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Library Media Connection (January 2008)
“Author Sherman Alexie writes with humor and wit. The story is bittersweet and intense; events are sometimes shocking, but the author does an excellent job of keeping the novel moving at an interesting pace.”
Publishers Weekly (August 20, 2007)
“Screenwriter, novelist and poet, Alexie bounds into YA with what might be a Native American equivalent of Angela's Ashes, a coming-of-age story so well observed that its very rootedness in one specific culture is also what lends it universality, and so emotionally honest that the humor almost always proves painful.”
Connections
Alexie, S. (2013). Toughest Indian in the world. ISBN-10: 0-8021-3800-4
Alexie, S., & MacDonald, A. (2012). Reservation blues. Toronto, Ont.: CNIB. ISBN-10: 0-8021-4190-0
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