Bibliographic Data
Alexie, S. (2007). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Little, Brown & Company.
Summary
This is the story of a young Native American boy who was born with water on his brain and who lives on a reservation with his parent's, sister, and grandmother. He has a best friend named Rowdy who he has been his best friend since they were babies. One day, Junior decides to go to the white school 22 miles away, and his life changes in ways he was not expecting.
Critical Analysis
The author Sherman Alexie has written a story about his own experiences growing up on a Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. The character Junior is a nerdy bookworm whose family is considered poor. The author recognizes the struggle of Junior, wanting to break the cycle, get off the reservation, and make more out of his life. The author did a wonderful job of showing how when characters are faced with sadness (Junior's grandma, dog, and sister die), life still goes on. You must keep living. Even with the confrontation between Rowdy and Junior the author still shows that you can still love your friends even when you do not agree. This was a delightful story with many laughs as well as heartfelt sadness.
Reviews and Awards
Booklist (August 2007 (Vol. 103, No. 22))
Alexie’s humor and prose are easygoing and well suited to his young audience, and he does not pull many punches as he levels his eye at stereotypes both warranted and inapt.
Horn Book Magazine (September/October, 2007)
The dominant mode of the novel is comic, even though there's plenty of sadness, as when Junior's sister manages to shake off depression long enough to elope -- only to die, passed out from drinking, in a fire. Junior's spirit, though, is unquenchable, and his style inimitable, not least in the take-no-prisoners cartoons he draws (as expertly depicted by comics artist Forney) from his bicultural experience.
School Library Journal (September 1, 2007)
The daily struggles of reservation life and the tragic deaths of the protagonist's grandmother, dog, and older sister would be all but unbearable without the humor and resilience of spirit with which Junior faces the world. The many characters, on and off the rez, with whom he has dealings are portrayed with compassion and verve, particularly the adults in his extended family.
Awards
Odyssey Award Winner 2009
Boston Globe-Horn Book Winner 2008
National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Winner 2007
Connections
Discuss your initial thoughts on the characters Junior and Rowdy. How do the two characters change in the story?
What are your thoughts on Junior leaving his school on the reservation to go 22 miles to the white school? Would you, do it? Would you feel betrayed like Rowdy? Was it a good thing for Junior to leave?
What is one thing that you can take away from this story?
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