The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie and art by Ellen Forney

Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2009). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown.

 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a semi-autobiographical story of Sherman Alexie's life growing up on a reservation. Junior (also known as Arnold) has had a lot of struggles growing up- poverty, being scrawny, and being born with 'water on the brain' as a baby. All of these things over the years leads to his decision to leave the 'rez' and go to school 22 miles away at an all white farming town school called Reardan. 

Junior on the rez and Arnold in Reardan- the main character has a hard time feeling like he belongs anywhere. He is too white when he is at home on the reservation, and too Indian when at his white school. But Junior will not let anything get in his way- not even his (ex)best friend, Rowdy. This story follows the story of so many people who struggle with their identity and coming home. He wants so much more than his home could offer him- which he realizes when he accidentally hits his teacher in the face with a textbook when he realizes his mom's name was in it. This book looks a lot at the cultural and social aspects surrounding the experience of being the 'other' (non-white) growing up.

Junior  is one of the most rich characters I have ever read. (I have also read this book about 3 times- and it never lets me down). He recognizes his own flaws and the flaws of his family and culture- but does not put other people down either. He recognizes that he has his own problems to worry about that none of his white classmates would ever really understand, but he is able to see that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side either. This book is funny, heart wrenching, and sincere. It helps every reader discover more empathy and access an experience that they may have never had (or maybe they have). The book teaches students that it is okay to want more- and to have unrelenting dedication to get it.

Notably, this book has also been on the top of the banned books list since it was written. When you read it you are aware of the reasons why- the cursing, sexual content, and so much more- BUT it is all of these things that continue to make this book great and relatable to so many kids. The transition from middle school to high school is hard and takes a lot of courage for anyone and this book perfectly depicts that difficulty and so much more for kids to relate to. Also, the fact that this is a hybrid book with illustrations to help you understand the mind of this 13-14 year old makes it even better.

Other books that cover identity issues, experience of loss/grief, and coming of age are:

  • Winger and Standoff (Part of the Winger Series) by Andrew Smith (deals with identity issues, grief, and coming of age- BONUS hybrid novel) 
  • King Dork and King Dork Approximately by Frank Portman (identity issues and coming of age- very funny and impossibly long lists of ridiculous band names) 
  • The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (Identity issues and coming of age- tons of humorous pranks and strong female lead) 
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (identity issues, grief, and coming of age) 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chapter 10: Historical fiction

Image
Chapter 10: Historical fiction Historical fiction is any fictional story set in the past. I typically like to add the caveat that typically historical fiction is based on significant events or historical period in the past. While it is difficult to pin point at what point historical fiction ends and contemporary fiction begins- most students define it as being before they were born or if it is in a history text book. One important aspect of historical fiction is that it gives the reader “the opportunity to vicariously experience what it might have been like to live in a previous time and place.” Some criteria to help you and your student evaluate Historical fiction is: Does the book tell a good story that blends the history in the story itself?; Are the facts if the historical period accurate?; How are the values of the time brought to life?; Is everything consistent with the social environment or culture?; and Does the theme of the story relate to contemporary readers? I fee...
Read more

Final Reflection 5391

Well, this class has been very interesting and challenging. I am about a mid-level technology buff. I enjoy using technology in the classroom, but often struggle to incorporate it consistently. This class has shown me so many different options to use in the classroom. It also has inspired a new passion for me to continue finding more technology and applications that can be included in my classroom. Which technology we have studied in class made me most excited?  If I am honest, most of the visual and auditory applications were the most exciting for me to explore. Some things like Infographics, Cartoons & Comics, Screencasts, Instagram, and Flipgram were especially interesting to me. I think these were the most interesting to me because they are so applicable to my classroom and the students I serve. Since I teach middle school- my students are particularly visual. They love visual stimulation- all of the images they see on a daily basis and being able to create more visual...
Read more

Chapter 9: Poetry

Image
Chapter 9: Poetry This chapter discusses the format of poetry and how to evaluate it in conjunction with YA literature. There are 5 main questions that are outlined in the chapter to ask yourself for evaluating Poetry for children: Is the subject of the poem something with which children would be familiar?; Does the poem use imagery?; Does the poem rhyme?; How is the rhythm used?; and what role does sound play? Another important aspect of this chapter discusses the findings of studies surrounding poetry for children. For example, they found that most children prefer narrative style poetry. This study focused on elementary schools, but you can also tell that this is still prevalent in YA literature. Some very popular YA literature that is written in this format- Kwame Alexander’s Crossover series, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, and Ellen Hopkin’s Crank series. When evaluating these books, it is important to look not only at the content of the book like themes,...
Read more