The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Publisher, 2007. 230 pages, $16.99 ISBN: 9780316013680 (trade) ISBN: (lib. bdg.)

Plot Summary:

Arnold Spirit was born with water on the brain, making him somewhat more susceptible to head trauma than most kids.  He is a loser on the Spokane reservation where he lives and goes to school.  This is why Arnold decides to change school and go the white school the next town over, Reardan.  When Arnold tells his best friend Rowdy his plan to go to school in Reardan, Rowdy ends their friendship.  Rowdy is not the only one on the reservation mad at Arnold for leaving either, most of the reservation thinks he is turning his back on his people, that he wants to be white. 

At first Arnold is an outcast at his new school and sticks out as the only Indian, but soon he has made several friends.  This is the first time Arnold has friends and feels like he belongs somewhere.  Arnold does not believe it can get any better when he makes starter on the varsity basketball team.  However, while Arnold’s school life is wonderful, life on the reservation is not.  Arnold’s family is poor and sometimes that means he has to hitchhike or walk the 30 miles to school.  Arnold’s father has a drinking problem, like many of the Indians on the reservation.  Alcohol brings a lot of grief to Arnold’s life.  Arnold’s grief encourages him to strive for a future outside of the reservation. 

Critical Review:

It may seem like Arnold is ashamed of being an Indian at times in this book, that is certainly what his tribe thought of him, but Arnold saw the reservation not as a way to hold onto his culture, but as what the reservation was originally intended to be, a prison.  As Arnold points out in his story the government originally moved Indians to the reservations as a punishment, a way to keep track of them and make sure they were not consorting with white citizens.  Arnold still sees the reservation this way, everyone who lived on the reservation was poor and the schools on the reservation were bad as well.  Arnold is not ashamed of being on Indian, but he refuses to be put at disadvantage because he is Indian.  Arnold has just as much of a right to a good ecucation as any white kid and in recognizing that Arnold starts a journey of self discovery.  Alexie’s humorous story paired with Ellen Forney’s cartoons brings this book to life and reminds me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid for teens. 

Genre:

Realistic Contemporary

Multicultural

Interest Level:

Grades 8 and up

Similar Books:
Looking for Alaska John Green

Subjects/Themes:

School

Native Americans

Death/Grief

Awards/Honors:

American Indian Youth Literature Award, 2008

Boston-Globe Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature, 2008

Capitol Choices, 2008

Cybil Award, 2007 Young Adult Finalist

Horn Book Fanfare, 2007

Kirkus Best Young Adult Books, 2007

National Book Award, 2007 Winner Young People’s Literature

Odyssey Award, 2009

School Library Journal Best Books, 2007

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2008

Author’s Website:

http://www.fallsapart.com/

Annotation:

When Arnold decides to leave his school on the Indian reservation and go to a white school he suddenly finds a place he belongs and popularity at school, but on the reservation his neighbors think he has betrayed his tribe and wants to be white. 

Book Talking Ideas:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a hilarious story done in a similar style as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, with cartoons included within the text of the story.  Arnold struggles to fit in at a new school where he is the only Native American and the school mascot is an Indian.  At the same time he is ostracized by his tribe for wanting to attend school off of the reservation.  

Why I chose to include this book:

I chose to include The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, because it is a funny, heartfelt and truthful story. 

Potential Challenges:

This book has been challenged in the past for being racist, sexually explicit, containing offensive language and overall being unsuited for the age group.  I would point out that the book was awarded the American Indian Library Association’s Youth Literature Award in 2008.