The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007) by Sherman Alexie. This book came to my attention because it was banned by local schools here in Springfield, Mo. Naturally, I had to read it. It's a compulsively readable, refreshingly honest portrayal of the life of Arnold Spirit, a native American born on the Spokane Indian Reservation. At the time of writing Arnold, also known as Junior, is a young teen growing up in extreme poverty on the "rez." He's being raised by alcoholic parents who nevertheless give many signs of loving him, including giving permission for him to attend the "white" school 22 miles away in the town of Reardan. Although he feels like he is betraying his reservation people by going to a white school, Arnold chooses to do so because he knows he'll get a better education there. After looking up Sherman Alexie on the Internet, it am pretty well convinced that this novel is autobiographical. What got it banned I'm not sure -- it certainly is tame in its portrayal of sex and violence. It's also frank in its discussion of masturbation, which some parents may have felt was not appropriate for youngsters. I think it's a great little book. The art, by Ellen Forney, is used very effectively to convey Arnold's talent as a cartoonist. Grade: A