I'm actually tempted to add this to my "biography" shelf as well because this story is so close to how Sherman Alexie described his own life when I heard him speak a few years ago at the PLA conference in Seattle.  It's a funny, poignant book about a Spokane Indian teenager who decides to buck the odds and go to school 22 miles away in a small town full of white folks.  He faces all kinds of obstacles and culture shock as he adjusts to his new school and deals with his own people viewing him as a traitor for aspiring to overcome crushing poverty and personal loss and do something with his life.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, even though I think Alexie is funnier in person.  If you're recommending this book to kids, keep in mind that it's written from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy, so there are some references to masturbation & breasts, etc. 

Alexie’s first novel for young adults is a coming-of-age novel that will make you laugh while it breaks your heart.  With wit and humor, it chronicles Junior’s attempts to rise above the expectations people have for him, in Wellpinit and Reardon, Sherman’s hometowns.  Already selected as a one-book read by several Washington communities, this book will stand the test of time.

For further information about the Washington State Library Washington Reads program, see our website at <a href="http://www.secstate.wa.gov/library/wa_reads.aspx">http://www.secstate.wa.gov/library/wa_reads.aspx</a>