Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

ISBN: 0-316-01369-7

Pages: 230

Summary:

Junior, a teenage boy describes his struggle growing up as a poor Indian, trapped on the Spokane Indian Reservation through cartoons and blunt humor. When urged to “get out”, Junior makes one of the most important decisions of his life and decides to cross boundaries literally and figuratively. He transfers to the rich, white high school of Reardan, the “neighboring” town 22 miles away. Caught between two worlds, and disliked by both, Junior finds strength within himself to prove he is capable of overcoming adversity and blurring boundary lines. 

Analysis:

Based on Sherman Alexie’s childhood, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian humorously portrays the struggle of one boy as he faces physical, mental and emotional challenges during his freshman year of high school. Alexie’s brilliant diary format and Ellen Forney’s interesting cartoons create an almost movie-like picture in the reader’s mind. This engaging text includes possibly objectionable language and sexual content which has caused it to be on the American Library Association’s Banned and Challenged Books List twice since its 2007 publication. The frank language and sexual content are not out of context but hold true to the narration of an adolescent boy’s point of view, although some readers and censors might find it questionable. Overall, the book brings to light an interesting commentary on the segregation of minority groups and the struggles adolescents find when they are “torn” between two worlds, a theme many young students can relate to. Through Sherman Alexie’s first-person narrative Junior provides a shining example of a “real” kid trying to make life work through adversity, which has readers falling in love with him.