The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian begins with a Native American called Junior who leaves his reservation to attend an all-white high school in a neighboring town. It tells his story of how he tries to fit in with the white kids yet still maintain his cultural identity, as well as attempting to re-befriend his ex-best friend from the “rez,” all while struggling to balance personal problems back home.
I enjoyed The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian; it isn’t something I would usually read, but for some reason, I really had the urge to pick it up off the shelf. It gave me a lot of insight on Native American culture and how Junior doesn’t really feel like he belongs anywhere: he is constantly beat up and bullied on the rez, but he must endure racism when he is the only non-white kid at school. Luckily, Junior’s diary is relatable to teens in many ways, and his own comics are interspersed throughout the novel to balance out the writing with humor. Though his story is about a fourteen-year-old cartoonist and basketball player, it frequently addresses more serious and important topics like poverty and alcoholism. All in all, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a good choice to pass your time!