The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is author Sherman Alexi’s first novel written for a YA audience. This novel follows Arnold, a fourteen year-old native high school student, as he decides to leave his school on the Spokane Reservation to attend an all-white school. Suddenly, Arnold is a traitor at his old school, and an outcast at his new school. All of the usual high-school experiences are amplified by the fact that Arnold has a stutter and a lisp, making him an easy target for bullies.
As Alexi explains on his website, the novel is semi-autobiographical. Written with a strong blend of words and cartoons, this book is told through the eyes of Arnold as he navigates his new life, and deals with some very heavy losses in his old life. Although the descriptions of life on the reservation are very real and draw attention to the poverty, alcoholism, and violence often present on reservations, the tone of the novel remains positive and uplifting.
One of my favorite aspects of this book were the illustrations included, which not only illustrate events in the book, but also allow Arnold to add extra commentary to the things he sees everyday. For example:
Source: http://book-rain.com/2011/04/15/the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-by-sherman-alexie/
These illustrations allow Arnold to portray his world as he sees it, and to give the reader a better understanding of the life he is describing. The illustrations were actually done by Ellen Forney, and she did a great job with them!
All in all, this is a great read.
Young People Reading 