The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian.New York: Little, Brown and Company. Fourteen- year-old Arnold Spirit better known as Junior on the Reservation (the rez) was born with too much water in his brain and as a result he is considered to have a disability. He is often the target of bullies young and old living on the rez. Junior is very smart and is tired of living surrounded by the alcoholism and depression plaguing the tribe in Wellpinit. Junior makes a bold move as he transfers to a rich all white high school in Reardan. He faces daily struggles as his tribe considers him a traitor and his new classmates consider him a stereotypical Native American. Junior must find a balance between his new life in Reardan and his life on the rez as he sets out to prove that he has a bright future ahead of him. This novel is recommended for students who are in grades 7-10 and focuses on cultural diversity featuring a Native American as the main character.