Forney, E. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. Little, Brown Books for Children, Boston.
Summary
Junior, a 14-year old Indian living on his tribal reservation, otherwise known as a rez, is the subject of abuse on a daily basis due to water on his brain at birth. He is the odd-ball of the reservation because of his appearance and brain surgeries where even grown men pick on him and beat him up. Living with his parents, sister and grandmother, Junior goes through daily life watching the drunkenness, the abuse and the inequity that goes with being an Indian. After losing his temper when seeing his mom's name in his math book, he realizes that no one believes that those on the reservation deserve the education, dreams and future that the white people do. After a heartfelt conversation with the teacher whose noese Junior broke when he threw the book, Junior takes a huge risk and transfers schools to Reerdon, a white farm-town 22 miles away from the reservation where he is the only Indian in attendance.
My Impression
At first this book was too much for me! I was shocked in the beginning when Junior talks about masturbation. However, after continuing with the book and taking the shocking comments in stride, I can see the appeal of this book for young adult readers. I think the book does a great job telling the story of line on an Indian reservation and the depression, alcoholism and abuse that happens in that culture. It tells a very compelling story to those who are not familiar with the life of Indians and the oppression they have felt for generations. It opens a reader's eyes to the different world and life of Native Americans while keeping an adolescent reader engrossed with the vulgar humor.
Review
Chipman, I. (2007) [Review of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie]. Booklist, 103 ( 22).
Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jumpshot, spends his time lamenting life on the ìpoor-assî Spokane Indian reservation, drawing cartoons (which accompany, and often provide more insight than, the narrative), and, along with his aptly named pal Rowdy, laughing those laughs over anything and nothing that affix best friends so intricately together. When a teacher pleads with Arnold to want more, to escape the hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a rich white school and immediately becomes as much an outcast in his own community as he is a curiosity in his new one. He weathers the typical teenage indignations and triumphs like a champ but soon faces far more trying ordeals as his home life begins to crumble and decay amidst the suffocating mire of alcoholism on the reservation. Alexie's humor and prose are easygoing and well suited to his young audience, and he doesnít pull many punches as he levels his eye at stereotypes both warranted and inapt. A few of the plotlines fade to gray by the end, but†this ultimately affirms the incredible power of best friends to hurt and heal in equal measure. Younger teens looking for the strength to lift themselves out of rough situations would do well to start here. Grades 7-10
Suggestion for Library Use
I actually have no thoughts about how to use this book in the library, except to use it in a display for censored books.
