Alexie, S. (2007). The
absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. NY: Little Brown.
Junior’s real name was
Arnold Spirit, Jr., Junior lives on the Spokane Reservation with his parents
and grandmother. When Mr. P, Junior's
geometry teacher, recognizes hope in Junior's future, he advises him to leave
the poverty and isolation of the reservation and attend high school in Reardan,
the nearest all-white high school. This causes problems with his fellow Indians,
especially his friend Rowdy, who starts mistreating him. Being the only Indian at Reardan High School,
Junior also gets picked on by a jock named Roger. Junior stands up to Roger and punches him in
the nose. Roger begins to respect Junior
and they become friends. In the end
Junior and Rowdy make peace with each other through a game of basketball. Though Junior had a horrific year losing his
grandmother and a stressful freshman year, Junior finally finds his true self
by balancing between two worlds.
This book is appropriate for 9th grade and up. If you like this book I recommend Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher and True Believer (Make Lemonade, #2) by Virginia Euwer Wolff. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian delivers a relatable message of perseverance, reminding its readers to rise above limitations the world may put on them. This book could also be used to explore several different themes, including: bullying, friendship, sportsmanship, alcoholism, death and grief, and controlling one's future.
Image of The Absolutely tree diary of a part-time Indian.(n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2016, from http://www.amazon.com/
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