Lindsay's Book Log

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was wonderful and while I don't have any knowledge or understanding of what life is like on a reservation, or in leaving a reservation, the way he talked about poverty and existing between two worlds hit hard. The only issue I had with this book is there were some sections that didn't feel like they were necessary or in the right place. The one that is coming to mind is the section where he's talking about Dawn, which was an even that happened two years before everything else he is talking about and seems to serve no real purpose story wise. I listened to this on Audiobook so I ended looking up the illustrations later and I found them to be delightful little additions but I'm glad I got them after I finished the book.

So according to the ALA this book is challenged for the following reasons: "anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying”"

And yes all those things are in there except it's anti-family at all, the cultural insensitivity is basically white people being assholes (hello real life), and everything else is true to life. The idea that this is unsuited for age group is hilarious because it's all very realistic to what people in that age group deal with.

The fact that this was the most challenged book of 2014 is hilarious and concerning.