Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie; illustrated by Ellen Forney
Publisher: New York : Little, Brown Books (2007)
ISBN: 0316013684 9780316013680 142876450X 9781428764507
Pages: 230
Characters: Arnold "Junior" Spirit,

4 bookmarks

Arnold, known on the reservation as Junior, was once happy on the Spokane reservation with his family. He yearns for a brighter future though and decides to move off the rez and go to the wealthy public school nearby. His family struggles to be able to afford to get him there and feed him lunch, but gladly makes the sacrifice. After starting at the public school, Junior becomes almost exhiled from the tribe. During the school year, his father's best friend, his grandmother, and his sister all die tragically. Junior joins the basketball team and twice has to face his former teammates from the reservation. Following his sister's and grandmother's deaths, Junior is once again accepted as part of the tribe.

During my undergraduate studies, I took a course in Native American religion. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian made me think back to this class and how Native Americans are perceived by whites and what Native Americans think about it. Alexie captured both sides of this perception quite well. This is a great book for young people to read. It briefly introduces them to a culture that they most likely will not experience otherwise. It also helps to show how important it is to feel like an accepted part of the community.