Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, an aspiring cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take charge of his future, Junior leaves his troubled school on the reservation to attend an all-white high school in a nearby farming town, where the only other Native American is the school mascot. Heartbreaking and humorously written, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," based on the author's own experiences, uses moving illustrations to describe the modern adolescence of a young Native American trying to escape the life he thought was meant to be. Alexie's debut in young adult fiction was an instant success upon its hardcover release, earning seven starred reviews, appearing on numerous bestseller lists, and winning the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.