The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

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

Published: 2007 Publisher: Little Brown Books
Paperback: 229 pages ISBN: 0316013692

Genre: Realistic fiction
Recommended for children ages 12+ and grades 6-12.

Plot Summary:
Acclaimed author Sherman Alexie write his first young adult novel telling the story of Junior, a teenage boy growing up on an Indian reservation. Determined to make a better future for himself, Junior leaves his reservation high school to attend an all-white school nearby. His story is touching, heartbreaking, and hilarious as he tries to survive high school while dealing with friend and family drama. The story is loosely based on Alexie's own adolescence.

Evaluation:
This book is so well-written. The characters are very relatable and the situations are humorous and serious at the same time. The biggest strength of this text is Alexie's ability to tell a complex, multi-layered story in a gripping and exciting way. The characters are all likeable and all frustrating at times as well. A community that is rarely written about, gets put in the spotlight in this story and Alexie does a great job. In a school library this book would resonate with teens who grow up in complicated family situations, who felt out of place at school, and who had to deal with multiple identities. It would hook avid and struggling readers alike - there are even entertaining cartoon pictures throughout the text. This book could be the base of many great discussions within the classroom.

Content Area:
English

Content Area Standards for English:

CA Common Core State Standards
CCSS Grade 8 Reading Standard for Literature:
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

CA English Language Arts Standards
CA English Language Arts Standard Grade 8 Literary Response and Analysis
3.3 Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters from different historical eras confronting similar situations or conflicts.
3.4 Analyze the relevance of the setting (e.g., place, time, customs) to the mood, tone, and meaning of the text.
 Links:
Author's Website

NY Times Sunday Book Review

Scholastic Teaching Guide