The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I am glad that Parent Teacher conferences are over for another trimester! I used to like conferences because I had a chance to meet my students’ parents. But now that I am in the library, I don’t have that many students. This trimester I have two student aides. I saw both their parents in the first 30 minutes of conferences, so that made for a lot of sitting. I did do a book fair during conferences and that helped me see a few more people. But I still had plenty of time to read.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is a great book. It is one of those rare books where I laughed while my heart was breaking. Alexie writes a heart-wrenchingly hilarious coming-of-age story about Arnold Spirit growing up on “the rez” in Washington State. Arnold is a goofy looking freshman with a good jump shot and a pressing desire to be something different from the other people on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Arnold sees how alcohol, poverty and lack of education has doomed the members of his tribe, so he knows that he must do something different. After he is kicked out of school for hitting a teacher in the face with a book, Arnold transfers to a small school off the reservation. On his first day, Arnold wonders what he is doing at “Reardon where the school mascot is the Indian making him the only other Indian in town.” The dominate mode of the novel is humor. Arnold wants to be a cartoonist, so it is filled with his cartoons to explain his view of the world. Even through all the tough times he faces, Arnold finds a way to see the good in the world and find hope for the future.