The Power of Storytelling and the Importance of Identity

A Spokane/Couer d’Alene tribal member, Mr. Alexie grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Willpinit, Washington. He is best known for his exploration of Native American culture throughout the body of his work. A recurring theme in his work is the search for identity. In Thunder Boy, Jr., he celebrates the special relationship between father and son in this story of a young boy trying to discover what his Indian name should be. Like his protagonist, Mr. Alexie was named for his father. He states, “When you talk about the Native American search for identity, it’s almost always a story about loss and pain. I wanted to write a picture book in which a kid goes on a search for identity in the context of a lovely family.”