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

If you think your life is bad, you should check out the problems Junior faces every day.  Junior was born with a medical condition that left him with an oversized head, a lisp, and seizures.  Now he is a moving target for every bully on the Spokane Indian Reservation where he lives.  His parents, along with most of the other adults, are drunks in a life that seems to have lost all hope.  Junior loses it when he gets his “new” science book (the one that had once been issued to his mother) and throws it at his teacher.  He then decides to leave the rez and attend the all-white school in the neighboring farm town.  His best friend Rowdy–and the rest of the people on the resevation–turn on him for being a traitor, but Junior is determined to create hope out of his desperate life.

Even though this book gives a harsh look at growing up, I laughed my way through it.  No matter what life throws at him, Junior can find a way to make it funny.  Did I mentiong that Junior is also a cartoonist.  His cartoons are scatttered throughout the story?  Yeah, they’re funny, too.

Sherman Alexie has created a masterpiece coming-of-age novel with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.  It might make a few grownups uncomfortable with its frank look at the life of an adolescent boy who faces more problems than should be allowed in one life, but more than anything else, Junior’s story provides hope.  I can’t wait to share it in class.

2 Comments on The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

  1. Mrs. McGriff
    November 29, 2011 at 7:27 pm (12 years ago)

    Yes, I have it, and you can read it. I left it on the computer cart.

    Reply
  2. Jessica W.
    November 29, 2011 at 5:11 pm (12 years ago)

    Mrs.McGriff do you have this book yet it sounds very interesting

    Reply

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