Jenny Reviews: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

 The Vitals
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Release Date: 12 September 2007
Page Count: 230
Genre: Fiction
Target Audience: Middle Grades/YA
Series: No
Source and Format: Purchased :: Paperback 

Summary (From Goodreads)
In his first book for young adults, bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney, that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

Notes on Part-Time Indian
This is the third book we have read this semester and it was, by far, everyone's favorite. The protagonist is a 14 year old boy who is brutally honest and yet hopeful at the same time. He has a very unique voice- he lives on a reservation but is attending a white school in town so he can escape the never ending cycle of poverty his tribe is trapped in. He gives you way too much information at times, yet his unflinchingly honest portrayal of his tribe's reality flies in the face of most preconceived ideas one has about the current situation of Native Americans living on reservations. 

Junior, the main character, likes to draw comics and his drawings have been included in the book, which adds to the informal feeling of the narrative as well as providing lots of food for thought. My students really enjoyed analyzing the drawings to see what Junior was saying through them. 

For the response paper I had them write their own journal entry (or entries) about a situation in which they were "other" and they were SO GOOD. This is a contemporary novel and, as I said, very informal and my students seemed to love this. I would recommend this book to anyone (with the caveat that he does mention an... activity... that adolescent boys especially like). It gives a wonderful (and painful) glimpse into the realities of life on a reservation and poverty in general. 

It also explores issues of individual vs. community and identity. Yes, all of this in a YA book. This is the best kind of YA book, in my opinion. It is a book that will appeal to all ages. It is geared towards YA/Middle Grades so it is a causal writing style, but the narrative is surprisingly deep if one takes the time to process what they are reading, not just skim it for entertainment- though it is very entertaining as well!

Overall Diagnosis

Memorable Quotes
“I grabbed my book and opened it up. I wanted to smell it. Heck, I wanted to kiss it. Yes, kiss it. That's right, I am a book kisser. Maybe that's kind of perverted or maybe it's just romantic and highly intelligent.”

“When anybody, no matter how old they are, loses a parent, I think it hurts the same as if you were only five years old, you know? I think all of us are always five years old in the presence and absence of our parents.”

“I drew because words were too unpredictable."