This was an incredible book! The humour that the author uses was engaging and the subject matter was enthralling. This book follows a year in the life of a young teen that leaves his school on the rez and goes to a school in a neighbouring community. It talks about some of what he experiences. This includes making friends in a new school, racism, and the death of multiple loved ones. His attendance at school in a neighbouring community also provides a juxtaposition of his experiences on and off the rez. I would highly recommend this book. Due to mature themes, I would recommend this book as a silent reading option or as a literary circles option. Students should be able to choose to read this book or another depending on their interest level and their personal history.
Key themes addressed in this book include: identity, racism, resilience, poverty and community.
Age Range: 13+
Warnings: the book does discuss alcoholism and the death of a loved one. These could be triggering to students who have experienced trauma. There are also brief references to masturbation.
Get the book here: Sherman Alexie’s “Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”
