Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007. 288 pages. $8.99 ISBN 9780316013697
Plot Summary: Junior loves to draw, in fact cartooning is his way of coping with life. He lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington and is the son of alcoholic parents. One day Junior gets so fed up with the poor education at their reservation school that he talks back to one of his teachers. However, it isn't Junior that comes apologizing, it's the teacher who encourages him to seek out better education. Junior decides it is time for a change and has his parents enroll him in the nearest non-reservation high school, which happens to be all white students. Although Junior knew it would be hard, he is faced with taunts, crushes, difficult friendships for the chance to learn. When he thought high school was as hard as it could get, he is faced with real tragedy and if forced to cope with comedy.
Critical Evaluation: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is one of the best books I've read this year. Alexie is so honest about the trials he went through, and other kids have gone through. I admit that some of the things he talked about were a bit shocking, but overall it is a book tweens need to read.
Reader's Annotation: High school is hard. Try being the only Spokane Indian in an all-white high school. That's harder. Junior may look like a weakling on the outside, but in actuality he is strong of heart and so funny he'll make you laugh your socks off.
Author Bio: Sherman J. Alexie, Jr. grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington. Like his character Junior, he was born hydrocephalic, with water on the brain. After several operations he was thought not to live, and after he outlived their predictions he was thought to live with severe mental retardation. Despite his seizures, Alexie learned to read at a very early age. He also went to Reardan High school, an all white high school. In college he wanted to be a doctor, but after trying to take human anatomy and not getting through it he changed his course. He graduated from WSU with a BA in American Studies, received the Washington State Arts Commission Poetry Fellowship in 1991 and the National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship in 1992. He has published several books including poetry and fiction, and wrote a few screenplays.
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Humor, Drama
Curriculum Ties: This should be assigned to every middle school student, whether in social studies, language arts/English or for a summer reading list.
Booktalking Ideas: Reading the first chapter to the class, making sure to show any illustrations, would be a good way to get kids interested in the book.
Reading Level/Interest Age: 11 and up
Challenges: The language use and alcohol references may cause some concern especially with fifth and six graders (and parents).
Reason for including: Well, this book was assigned for the class. However, I wanted to read the book and was excited to be able to read it.
