The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I mentioned before that I’m a huge fan of Sherman Alexie’s work, and I was equally as pleased with his YA novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.  The story is about high school freshman, Junior, an Indian living on the Spokane reservation.  Born with “water on the brain” Junior doesn’t fit in on the reservation, but when he makes the decision to get a better education at white high school, he’s singled out on the rez as a traitor.  It’s not an easy life for Junior, and he chronicles the problems in his community – poverty, alcoholism, and hopelessness – through his words and also his pictures.  Junior is a cartoonist, and the book is sprinkled with artwork by Ellen Forney that extends and builds his story.  Overall I think this book was told with a lot of honesty and heart, and I can’t wait to read the sequel when it comes out.

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