ATDOAPTI: Reading 1

[Courtney]

What really captured my attention during the first part of this book was Junior's development. Specifically the way that he started the book as a timid, abused nerd, and ultimately made the courageous decision to go to the white school off the reservation. For a character who is so seemingly weak, this decision came out of nowhere. It tells the audience that Junior is unpredictable, and sets the tone for the remainder of the book. It gives the sense that we can expect great things from him. Inside his head, Junior seemed much more mature than he should be at that age. As our narrator, his descriptions and drawings gave an interesting tone to the novel. This book proposes the idea that anyone can be a hero. Junior is portrayed as weak, but he never shies away from a challenge, or, for that matter, a fight. Although he is small he even punches the new school bully in the face to assert dominance. The book captured the voice of a young book extremely well. He struggles with the challenges of puberty and his first relationship, while also feels what it’s like to gain and lose friends. He deals with what is best for himself, and best for others. Ultimately we always see him follow his heart and head throughout the beginning of this book. The biggest example of his courage is when he faces the walk to school. Everyday Junior has to figure out how he will get to school, while the others are driven by their well-off families. It would be so easy for him to give up on education altogether, but he pushes on and gets to school every morning. Even though it is miserable and his home life is falling apart, he always does what is best for him and his personal success, while maintaining compassion for others. This character development makes for a very interesting first section of the book. I look forward to reading more.