Amy Mazzariello

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie
Little Brown Young Readers
Publish date: 2007-08-01
$8.99
9780316013680
Trade Paper

The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian is a story for all ages about a young man crossing divides and finding what it takes to succeed in a world that had his destiny laid out for him.  Fortunately that destiny is not his own. Inspired by his personal adolescence, as well as being his first book for young adults, Sherman Alexie has won himself the National Book award with this inspiring story. 

Junior is a young Native who was born with fluid on his brain and 42 tooth buds in his mouth. These minor defects should have deemed him a vegetable who would be unable to close his mouth once all the teeth descended. Overcoming these first of many physical obstacles (through the suction of a “mini hoover” and the pulling of an extra ten teeth), Junior manages to grow up to be a smaller than average awkward teen that has a yearning for knowledge, quickness for getting himself out of potentially dangerous, yet hilarious situations (thanks partly to his best friend, Rowdy) and a talent for cartooning.  I was charmed by Junior and his unyielding determination from the fist paragraph.

On the first day of his freshman year Junior opens his geometry book to find his mother’s name in the “owner’s name” field. Realizing the age of the book and its content Junior is thrown into a heady desire to enroll himself in the all-white public school, a mere 20 miles away.  There is no way he is willing to sit through classes that are prepared to teach ‘knowledge’ that dates 30 years old.  So here begins the True Diary of this highly earnest young man.

Along the way Junior is faced with many obstacles including an all white high school, a basketball, a girl, Rowdy, his reservation’s angry population and a 20 mile trek each day for 4 years. Through all of Junior’s struggles and triumphs I was kept me smiling as I feverishly flipped the pages, pausing only to scan the penciled illustrations that pepper the book.  The illustrations are an added bonus, and I can’t wait for the next installment, (if there is one). One can only hope.