Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Mrs. Magoo

From www.mrsmagooreads.com

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie
Grade: A-
Ideal Audience: Boys & Girls, 12+

Summary:
Junior is living on a Indian reservation, and has already subjected
himself to a sure future of being a loser. Where he lives, if you want
to get anywhere or be anybody, you have to be white. The loser lives
are saved for the Native Americans.

However, Junior surprises himself by making a life-changing decision. He decides to leave
the reservation during school hours and instead he attends the local
white school. Hopefully this will give him a chance to escape the
never-ending cycle of poverty at the reservation and give him a place
in the world.

Predictably, Junior has some problems fitting in.
At the reservation, his transfer is viewed as a betrayal, and some of
the kids at the white school aren't used to an Indian kid. The rest of
the novel follows Junior's journey of discovering just who, exactly, he
is.

My thoughts: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
is an absolutely hilarious novel. Junior's voice is honest and
entertaining, and he presents every story with an angle that makes it
just that much more funny. I also loved the cartoons scattered
throughout the book.

Sherman Alexie's novel is a coming of age story that teens everywhere, no matter what background, can relate to.