Face by Sherman Alexie

Face is a poetry book with footnotes. I loved Alexie's book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian which makes it onto my top ten list of books for teen boys so I knew what to expect. Or thought I did.

Alexie is an American Indian that grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation (The Rez) in Eastern Washington. His poetry allows the reader to understand a bit of his experiences growing up on the Rez with an alcoholic father and deep poverty. What I wasn't prepared for were all the sexual connotations and the use of foul language when other words would have sufficed. I thought the footnotes were, by and large, funny and illuminating. I did laugh out loud at places in the poetry. I know that boys will appreciate this poetry more than girls, but how to get it into their hands?

Adult to mature teen boys. My rating 3 1/2 stars.