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

Rating: 7 out of 10
Commentary: This novel was the winner of the 2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. I finished it over a month ago, May 17th (which was when I began this review).

Never really read anything too much like this one before. It’s told from a first-person point-of-view by Junior, the novel’s protagonist, and is periodically coupled with his “cartoons”; drawing is something Junior is very passionate about. Something he could make a career out of, except for the repeated fact that Native Americans on the “rez” (reservation) don’t have careers, don’t make money, and don’t make anything out of themselves.

Junior’s quest to break the stereotype and get a “real” education creates the biggest dilemma in the book–his decision to leave the rez’s run-down high school and attend the all-white school at a neighboring white town turns his best friend away from him, and makes new problems when he becomes basically the only non-white kid at his new high school.

The narration is genuine and well-paced, and Junior’s drawings add a lot to the story. It’s billed as Young Adult, but I thing the problems presented in it are mature and appropriate for all ages, especially adults. Definitely recommended.

This is probably the last one in my binge on YA novels.