Author: Alexie, Sherman

In his first book for young adults, best-selling Native American author Sherman Alexie tells the story of a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to break away from the life he was destined to live, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend a nearby small-town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, the story is based on the author's own experiences, with poignant drawings by Alexie's fictional artist. 256 pp.