The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. by Sherman Alexie. Little, Brown, 2007. 229 pages.

Plot: The story centers around Arnold Spirit, Jr., a native American teenager growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation. He is physically different because of brain damage and surgery, but he is smart and loves to draw cartoons.  The reservation is depressed and deep in poverty.  Arnold’s parents are alcoholics and the school is using thirty year old textbooks. Arnold gets a chance to go to an all white high school twenty-two miles away from the reservation.  This is the only way Arnold can see breaking out of the cycle of poverty on the “rez”.  He is immediately attacked by his best and lifelong friend, Rowdy, as a “white lover.”  Just trying to get to school everyday is a challenge. Arnold is accepted at the new high school after some racial slurs. He makes the varsity basketball team as a freshman. In a showdown with the basketball team from the “rez”, Arnold gets knocked out by his “best friend” Rowdy, the benches clear, and Arnold goes to the hospital. Arnold deals with more tragedy as his sister dies in a trailer fire, his father shoots his dog, and his grandmother is run over by a drunk driver.  In the end Arnold and Rowdy are able to save their friendship.

Review/Personal thoughts:  I think this is a phenomenal book.  Not everyone feels the same way apparently.   The Stockton School Board in Missouri has banned it.  It does contain some strong language. I am amazed at how humorously it is written while dealing with such sadness. Themes are friendship, racism, alcoholism, death, poverty and coming of age. I give it my highest recommendation for older tweens.

Genre: Fiction

Reading Level: 4.0 Interest level: Ages 12 and up.

Awards: Best Children's Books of the Year, 2008 ; Bank Street College of Education

Choices, 2008 ; Cooperative Children's Book Center

Notable Children's Books, 2007 ; New York Times

School Library Journal Best Books, 2007

Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2007

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008

National Parenting Publications Award, 2007 Gold Book Ages 12 & Up

National Book Awards, 2007 Winner Young People's Literature