The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, is in the Top Ten on the 2008 Best Books for Young Adults list. This is the story of Arnold Spirit, Jr., a fourteen-year-old Native American living on the Spokane Indian Reservation who decides to transfer to the all-white high school in the neighboring farm town of Reardon. This is a difficult decision, and most of the other Indians on the rez hate him for betraying his people and for being brave enough to do something with his life before he ends up doing nothing with his life like so many of his neighbors. Although he begins his freshman year as a weird outsider at Reardon, by the end he is an almost all A student and a star shooter on the basketball team with friends and an almost girlfriend. But he still has to deal with issues on the rez like poverty, alcohol-related deaths, and his former best friend hating him. At least he seems to have resolved the best friend problem by the end of the book. This was a really funny book. Teens would appreciate the humor, which comes out not only in Arnold/Junior’s thoughts but also in his brilliant cartoons, which he draws to deal with the things in life that make him the most emotional. I enjoyed reading this book not only because of the humor but also because of the positive message about never giving up, no matter what obstacles life throws at you.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, is in the Top Ten on the 2008 Best Books for Young Adults list. This is the story of Arnold Spirit, Jr., a fourteen-year-old Native American living on the Spokane Indian Reservation who decides to transfer to the all-white high school in the neighboring farm town of Reardon. This is a difficult decision, and most of the other Indians on the rez hate him for betraying his people and for being brave enough to do something with his life before he ends up doing nothing with his life like so many of his neighbors. Although he begins his freshman year as a weird outsider at Reardon, by the end he is an almost all A student and a star shooter on the basketball team with friends and an almost girlfriend. But he still has to deal with issues on the rez like poverty, alcohol-related deaths, and his former best friend hating him. At least he seems to have resolved the best friend problem by the end of the book. This was a really funny book. Teens would appreciate the humor, which comes out not only in Arnold/Junior’s thoughts but also in his brilliant cartoons, which he draws to deal with the things in life that make him the most emotional. I enjoyed reading this book not only because of the humor but also because of the positive message about never giving up, no matter what obstacles life throws at you.
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